Butterfly
by Reinbeauchaser
Summary: Injured and bleeding in an alleyway, Leo is discovered by an unlikely source. With his memory gone, will he teach his rescuer how to live again? Who knows, but if you read the story, you might find out! :0
1. Discovery

'**BUTTERFLY'**

_Written by Reinbeauchaser_

_Inspired by a friend_

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

_**DISCLAIMER**: The TMNT's are owned by someone else, certainly not by me otherwise my bank account would look nicer than it does. I only possess the creativity to write this story and nothing else. Thanks to a special friend who egged me on to write this. Just so you know, Leo is her most favorite turtle:0)_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 1 – Discovery**

Like a long Alaskan winter, her life had frozen over with the cold monotony of isolation and repetitive scenery. She lived alone, rarely leaving her apartment, as she much preferred the quiet of her own heart and the droning discourse of television. Yet, on those occassions when she did slip outside, it was always at night and well after everyone in her brownstone had retired for the evening.

And, true to her style of living, she was never one to get involved with them. Life had taught her not to. It was far too easy to get hurt if she did, for she found that people were too unpredictable and, at times, dangerous.

Consequently, she kept her window shades drawn, her door locked, and she ventured to the store only for supplies.

As for her neighbors in the adjoining tenements on her floor, they rarely saw her. It was the same for the three lower levels as well. Yet, as far as anyone was concerned, she was merely the eccentric person in apartment 4B, the woman who hid under a cape – even during the heat of summer.

In fact, many weren't even aware that she was a woman and on those rare occasions they did happen to see her, they treated her as nothing more than an odd color of paint on the wall.

She was fine with this, of course. As far as she was concerned, the less attention she drew to herself, the happier she felt. Not that she ever felt happy, but people made her nervous and she was happiest when they left her alone. With her finances secure from her father's inheritance, she had little need to find a job. Had it been otherwise, though, she would have probably ended up on welfare - or worse. As it turned out, the way her life had become since her father died would have landed her in a mental ward anyway.

Nevertheless, it was her father's will that had provided her with enough funds to live the way she did, allowing her as much comfort as she desired, even though her simple lifestyle might have challenged such notions. Anyone else might have used the money to buy a house in the Hampton's or possibly invest in a business. But for Beth, those things were almost impossible for her to do, at least not without sacrificing her anonymity. Nonetheless, at twenty-five, she had retired from the world and cared little what anyone else thought about her.

_Let them think I'm strange_, she had said to herself once, _at_ _least in that way they will leave me alone!_

Average in height and build, the way she walked and with the way she would hunch her shoulders, Beth seemed smaller in stature. She wasn't a striking beauty, per se', yet she was attractive enough to have warranted attention and it was that very reason why she hid from the world. She tried very hard, in fact, to undermine whatever beauty was naturally hers...and, she had succeeded, too.

Furthering that end, though they were not of her doing, the girl bore scars along her body. And though the cicatrix across her stomach was the worst one, even the track of that particular wound could not compete with the emotional scars lying undetected in her mind. Her mental turmoil, painfully debilitating, had burdened her like the proverbial millstone. Running deep and foreboding, many times it overwhelmed the girl, relentlessly controlling every move she made, every thought, and every action. The neurosis had kept her under its influence for years without mercy, yet, she had learned to accept it, even embracing it. It had become like a friend to her, someone who could take her 'away' for a time, to forget – or maybe even force her to face her inner demons!

And in the sanctuary of her apartment, locked away behind her door and from prying eyes, she could visit these events undisturbed, too. She could suffer in solitude with just herself, hiding away from those who might interfere. Over time, she had become comfortable with being just part of 'one' rather than 'one of many', and she didn't have any reason at all to change things, either.

Yet, as so often happens, 'safe' would soon become a relative term to Beth. If not for the next event in her life, if she had stuck to her normal route, she would have continued living in hiding, secure and lost to the world, the way she had for the past five years.

Nevertheless, the path she would take one particular evening would change everything in her life and in more ways than she would have ever imagined.

For Beth, the day had ended as many of them did. As she woke up, she found herself staring at her television. While she forced her mind back to the present, pushing away the images of past fears and events, her hands moved tentatively off her lap and down to her side. Feeling the worn material of her couch told her that she had managed to make it to the sofa in time, before 'it' started again. Beth sighed and swallowed, noticing almost immediately how dry her throat was. It was the telltale sign that 'it' had lasted for a good long while. Blinking her eyes to focus better, she tried to move, now, and then grimaced, when she realized how stiff her back was.

"_How long was I out this time?"_ she asked herself. She looked up at the clock on the wall and groaned, "_Five hours?"_

Beth looked around her apartment and noticed how brightly lit her lamp glowed and then how dark her living room and kitchen was. Not even the pulled and taped window blind over her sink offered the usual diffused light of day. She looked back at the clock again and realized it was nearly eight in the evening.

Sometimes during her catatonic episodes, she would find herself in her rigid state for an hour or more, just staring, wondering, and wishing. Beth would lose all sense of time, then.

However, on some occasions, it would happen where hours would pass before she reemerged back into the real world again.

She groaned, remembering how she had thought of Him earlier. She only had to think about Him, now, with how He had changed her life, to start the process once more. Like a broken record, she would repeatedly go over the details of what had happened that day. Sometimes she would successfully break the cycle, only to then wonder what her life would have been like had things turned out differently.

That was when her catatonic episodes would stretch into hours, then, and she would wake up sullen and depressed, such as now.

She would then function normally for a short time before she would again lapse into her subconscious world, reliving the terror that had started the process in the first place. Unfortunately, it seemed to occur frequently enough that living what others considered a 'normal' life was impossible for her. In the end, she had to be content with the way her life had become. For Beth, it was far more comfortable than to even think about changing, even a little bit. She had likened it to wearing shoes too small for her feet, yet it was all that she had, so she put up with it. True, her feet might hurt, but it had a familiar pain and one that was easier to bear than risking change with a different pair of 'shoes'.

In the end, Beth preferred her 'shoes', to the uncertainty of what life might be like otherwise.

Once she was fully free from her episode, she stood up from the couch, now, and slowly stretched her arms and her back. They protested earnestly from their prior rigid catatonic state, but she stubbornly resisted their complaint. She felt the same grumbling from her legs, too, but she ignored them for the moment, as well. She had another sensation that seemed to be a bit more persistent.

Pangs of hunger now overwhelmed her, as if she hadn't eaten in a while. And she hadn't, that was another aspect to her 'condition'. She would forget to eat. Still, the severity of her complaining stomach was a telling sign that she needed to eat – and soon!

So, she pushed back her gradually rising mood of depression, took a deep breath, and headed for her kitchen.

Now, as she stood in front of her refrigerator and held open its door, Beth stared into the near empty appliance and scowled.

"_Just as empty as I'm feeling it seems,"_ she grumped, "_Why didn't I notice this sooner?"_

As air from the appliance flowed out to caress her feet, Beth closed her eyes and expressed a long breathy sigh. The chilled sensation seemed to help accelerate her recovery, so she embraced it for the moment. Still, she wanted to kick herself for not noticing her refrigerator's deprived condition sooner, before her episode had begun.

That was what always made it so frustrating for her. The attacks were unpredictable and irregular. Memory triggers were funny like that. It often took only a stray errant thought to get them going, too. Sometimes, though, it was a smell, or a color, or even touching something simple, such as cardboard.

That was what triggered her episode this time, a cardboard box.

Earlier, she had planned to go through some personal affects from her closet, a chore she did from time to time. It gave her something to do during her dismally boring life. Yet, not every memory trigger worked the same way with each occurring episode. That, in and of itself, was one reason why she would never function in the real world. It was hard to predict what would set her off.

However, this time, when her hand brushed against a small cardboard box on the closet shelf, the sensation had brought 'Him' back to her again. Maybe it was the time of year or the weather outside coinciding in that moment. It was hard to say, since Beth associated many things to what happened then, and cardboard had been one of the ingredients to her memories, too.

Just the same, the moment she touched it, she knew it was beginning again. In fact, if she recalled correctly, she barely made it to her couch before the episode began.

Now, as she stood in front of her opened and empty refrigerator, she berated herself for not going to the store sooner. If it were not for her attack, she would have checked its condition and made the challenging trip to the grocers. Grumbling to herself, now, she stood there and continued to stare into the empty interior. She tried to quiet the complaint in her equally empty stomach, damning her life and wishing things could be different. But they weren't. And, as the hard truth of the matter weighed against her, Beth knew that, despite the hour, she had to go to the grocers - that is, if she wanted to eat.

Suddenly, an all too familiar, vile tremor came over her. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm the ascending terror, trying to focus on the cool offerings from her refrigerator. She closed her eyes tightly against the foreboding threat and, after a moment, realized that it was not going to be enough. Yet, no way in hell would she allow herself another attack to happen.

Quickly, she closed the refrigerator's door and took two steps to a cupboard. Jerking it open, Beth next retrieved a glass, almost dropping it in her haste. Then, without hesitation, she swiftly filled it to the brim with tap water. Beth stared at the contents for a moment, hating and yet embracing its shimmering promise of normalcy.

Then, sighing deeply, she brought it quickly to her quivering lips and drank deep, like a starving man.

Immediately, she felt the cool liquid course its way down her throat. She smiled, gratefully embracing the sensation. Although it was a rare occurrence, it wasn't unusual for her to have repeated catatonic episodes. Consequently, avoiding a second attack became paramount to her. Having another one would force her to wait until morning and then she would have to go out when everyone else was.

Beth was determined not to let that happen.

Looking at the clock above her stove, she realized suddenly that the grocery store would be closing in less than two hours. For most people, that would have been plenty of time to walk the three blocks to the store. But for Beth and her psychosis, it would be just enough time to make it there, buy what she needed, and return to her apartment again. Aside from just drumming up the courage to go outside, she still had to traverse the dangerous streets of New York.

Once she felt the numbing feeling ebb away, she sighed in blessed relief. Resigned to what she had to do, Beth hurried out of her kitchen and over to her coat closet to get her cape and shoes. She was mindful what she touched too, not even glancing up at the shelf above the rack, where the dreaded cardboard box sat.

Her coat closet was a small two-foot wide by two-foot depression in the wall next to her front door. It held only a few items, such as a couple of umbrellas and the infamous cardboard boxes on the upper shelf.

Yet, the most important item in the cubbyhole was her over-sized, hooded coat. It gave her the anonymity she needed to hide away from society while traversing New York's streets. Safe within her personal shroud, Beth could slip in among the populace, unseen for who she was, and insulated from her imagined fears.

After she had slipped her shoes on and shrugged into her coat, she suddenly noticed its rather pungent odor.

"_Need to wash this pretty soon, I guess,"_ she thought to herself, "_at least so I can put up with me."_

Still, Beth knew the coat's unique bouquet kept most people a safe distance from her. The fact that she hadn't taken care of herself much, either, added to the odor. She smiled, thinking how people would often glare at her whenever she would walk by them. Knowing how most wrinkled their nose and scowled at her, she found it rather humorous.

_They assume so much_, she thought to herself, _thinking I'm homeless all because of how I dress – and smell." _She thought about her inheritance, and knew it was enough to buy the building she lived in, and it saddened her, too. "_Why should money determine eccentricity, while poverty only makes one strange?" _she wondered aloud, shaking her head.

Just the same, it mattered not to her. In fact, it gave her a sense of power, as if she was a well-kept secret. Maybe one day her secret would come out of hiding, but not now, not for a long time, not if she had anything to say about it. Beth was happy with where she was and with how she lived, even with her episodes.

Pushing her stringy brown hair back into the nether reaches of her hood, she brought the front of her head covering down low in front of her. Then, Beth pulled at the sides to further shield her face, so that anyone glancing her way would not easily see her. She next grabbed up her wallet from the end table by the couch and shoved her billfold into one of the coat pockets.

Beth then opened her front door and slowly stepped outside.

Closing it quietly behind her, she now stood facing the hallway, just beyond the door's threshold. She leaned protectively against the wooden barrier and took in a deep breath. As she stared ahead and towards the stair casing beyond, Beth assessed her next task.

Three areas in the hallway floor had boards that had weakened from age and noticeably squeaked when stepped on. Anyone trying to get to the stairs without making any noise would have to know their location in order to do so. Considering how hard Beth tried to go about the world unnoticed, the girl knew exactly where the weakened boards were, too.

Now, as she stood there by her apartment door, she studied their proximity, as one would a minefield. Knowing there was at least one person on the fourth floor listening for such sounds, Beth was determined not to satisfy the old woman's curiosity. She hated nosey people and even though her fellow renter had never said a word to her, Mrs. Andrew's peeping habit annoyed Beth greatly.

However, once the girl determined where the weakened boards were, she took in a deep breath and pushed away from her door. Beth took a couple of steps forward before quickly moving alongside the banister. Following the railing for a few paces, she then executed a wide sidestep to the left. Three more paces forward and she took another wide step, this time to the right and putting her back alongside the banister again. All the while, her footfall was soft and nearly undetectable.

Finally, reaching the stairwell, she made a right hand, one-eighty turn at the end post and quietly slipped down the steps.

Beth always breathed easier at this point. Still, as her hearing informed her, it was obvious that someone had watched her progress. She had heard the not too subtle opening of a door, the creak sounding out at the end of her walk through the hallway, as she began to step down the stairs. How the widow, Mrs. Andrews, always knew when Beth was out of her apartment, when she had tried so hard to be quiet, irritated the girl.

"_Fine, get a good long look at me. Hope it makes your day!"_ the girl seethed inwardly, shaking her head in frustration.

Just the same, Beth ignored the woman's prying eyes and continued to work her way down to the next two flights of stairs, each level providing fewer and fewer challenges. As she finally made it to the first floor, Beth managed to go completely unnoticed by the remaining tenants in the complex. After all, it was evening time, with most of the renters too busy with their dinner to hear anyone walking about in the hallway.

Still, Beth had to shake off the feeling of dread and insecurity. She really hated going outside. So many things could go so horribly wrong. Still, she didn't want her fears to overwhelm her before she could even make it beyond the foyer doors. The last thing she needed was to go catatonic again and out in public, no less. Beth was certain the authorities would then have her locked up long before she could even emerge from its affects.

That was something she would never let happen to her. She would rather die than end up in the state mental hospital. Even though she was a virtual prisoner in her own apartment, it was a choice she made of her own free will. There wasn't any way she would let anyone else decide for her how to live, or even _where_ she would live.

Once outside her residence, though, she stood tentatively along the stoop, the main doors to the brownstone directly behind her. She looked up the street and then down the other side, assessing the population of her neighborhood. Beth quickly noticed that Greenwich Avenue seemed less hectic than normal this evening. The hush was almost overwhelming, in fact, and Beth wondered why that was. She saw a few people milling about, oblivious to her presence, and more than likely returning home from work or possibly going to the store. Yet, her general neighborhood seemed more peaceful than usual.

Still, not wanting to lose her momentum, she readily accepted it for the moment. At the very least, it bolstered her resolve to do what she had to do.

As Beth's courage grew stronger, now, she took another deep breath and eased slowly down the front steps to the sidewalk below.

From Beth's brownstone and heading south, Greenwich boasted a long line of similar structures, all conjoined together to form one almost seamless row of pre-war buildings. Over all, from where she lived, it was a rather long block to closest cross street, which was Seventh. In-between her building, an alley broke up the monotonous line of architecture as it bordered alongside her brownstone, running between her building and those facing Seventh. It then ran west from where she lived ending at Waverly, two blocks away, and behind where the grocers was. Yet, she never paid the alley any mind, since she rarely, if ever, used it.

Just thinking about the byway, though, gave her some trepidation. It was another memory trigger and one Beth rallied against as it tempted her with another episode. As she walked along, she took several more deep breaths and focused harder on her task.

Nevertheless, she knew that there was the occasional transient that would set up camp at the mouth of alleyway. There, they would face the street and ask for handouts. Except on rare occasions, the police normally kept the neighborhood clear of such vagrants, so she usually never gave it more than a passing thought. Tonight, though, she had good reason not to think about it and as she successfully passed the alley unchallenged, she let loose a long-held breath.

She had made it!

Now, she could focus on the remaining part of her trek. She smiled within the confines of her hood, too, thinking about the grocers.

McHenry's was a business handed down from grandfather, to son, to grandson. Sean, the current proprietor and getting on in years, was a kindly man and Beth liked him very much. He ran the corner store with a friendly smile and an almost insatiable need to talk. Although she was probably one of his oddest customers, he never treated her any differently than he did anyone else. She rather liked the old Irishman. He never asked her too many personal questions, either, more content to do most of the talking. And he would do so almost none stop while he rung up her groceries, too, his thick Irish brogue pleasantly tickling her ears. He seemed to enjoy his own voice and it didn't matter to Beth what he said so long as he was the one doing the conversing. Although she rarely, if ever, responded, she much enjoyed the safety of his conversations, mostly because Sean seemed quite harmless and non-threatening to her, almost like her father.

Slowly making her way towards Seventh Street, Beth looked up and noticed one single bright star. With the evening already upon her, the light of day had already receded beyond the horizon. The sun was well below the cityscape, as the night greedily pushed its brilliance further west. Beth huddled a little deeper into her cloak, now, continuing her trek to the store as she shivered slightly under her coat. Spring, with its bounty of new growth and warmer days, still offered an occasional kiss of winter's chill at evening time. It justified appropriate clothing at night, such as hooded coats. Just the same, Beth wished she had at least planned better by slipping on a sweater before leaving her apartment.

However, she wasn't about to risk going back to her dwelling and losing her one chance to get food, so she pressed onwards.

As she continued to walk along the sidewalk heading towards Seventh, Beth chanced a look at the sky once more. She was thankful she lived where she did and beyond the influence of skyscrapers, where the monstrous edifices would have normally obscured such visions. She was convinced had she lived deeper towards the busier end of town the one lone star would have remained invisible to her entirely. A procession of clouds now passed overhead, promising rain, and Beth hoped it would be well after she returned to her apartment. She chided herself for not bringing along one of her umbrellas.

"_Oh well, at least I have my hood!"_ she reasoned silently.

Playing hide and seek among the clouds glowed the quarter moon, bright from the receding sun's reflection. Most of the stars - save for the solitary one she had just seen - were far too faint to fight their way through the city's artificial illumination. Still, Beth sighed and wished that she could see more of them, they way she did when she was a little girl and living upstate in the country before her father had died. A feeling of melancholy soon draped over her, its cloak of depression almost rivaling her inner fears. Once more, she took a deep breath, a thick swallow, and regained for the moment a ragged bit of self-control.

She knew she had to hurry and get her groceries, because she knew her phobia was a stubborn one and would persist harassing her until it claimed her once again. She could not go catatonic in public, she just couldn't.

With the streetlamps bathing the sidewalks with their artificial radiance, darkness descended more rapidly. Hunching her shoulders against the dropping temperatures and shoving her hands deeper into her pockets, now, Beth continued her torturous walk. More than before she began to realize that the neighborhood was indeed quieter than normal and it almost made her wonder if maybe something was wrong.

Just as she thought she would go unnoticed, though, and as the intersection of Seventh and Greenwich came into view, she looked up and spied a crowd hovering around the corner - and on her side of the street, no less.

To make matters worse, the police were there as well.

Beth slowed her walk instinctively and watched the knot of observers. It didn't take long before she realized they were merely curious bystanders witnessing whatever it was that the police were doing. It seemed that the authorities had somebody in custody, too, at least by what Beth could see. Just beyond them, she spied an ambulance and knew that someone had obviously been hurt.

However, the police seemed to be escorting someone into one of their squad cars. As she studied the person under arrest, she immediately realized that they were dressed in what appeared to be black pajamas. Two officers then shoved the pajama-clad man into the back of the car, his hands cuffed behind him. The ambulance took off right afterwards with its sirens blaring and then soon after, the police cruiser. A few of the people watching the spectacle seemed pleased where they cheered the event, as if they had just been relieved of an annoying problem.

Beth was aware of the occasional break-in and robbery in her neighborhood, so she wondered, then, if the man in custody was responsible for them.

"_Strange that he would wear pajamas to do it in, though,"_ she thought. And yet, considering how she, herself, dressed, she couldn't really point fingers. "_Well," _she mused, "_This is New York, after all."_

Now, as she looked around, she was thankful the weather was cool enough to warrant such outerwear as her hooded cape. At least she did not draw any more attention to herself. She avoided police as much as possible, since her appearance and even her smell would make them believe she was homeless. She wasn't, though, and she could probably prove that fact, but she knew all too well how unpredictable her catatonia could be. It was best she avoid the authorities all together.

Just the same, as she analyzed things and as she noticed some of the police still milling around, she realized going her normal path to the store would not work this time. It would put her right smack in the middle of whatever was happening at the corner.

So, she stopped and assessed her choices, now. She looked back towards her building, wondering if it would be the lesser of the two evils to wait until early morning. She knew that McHenry's opened at seven, but, the persistent nagging growl from her stomach told her she needed to eat - and as soon as possible.

She then considered the alley just behind her. Beth sighed and knew she would have to take that route to the store. It seemed to be her best alternative considering her other choice.

Quickly retracing her steps and ducking into the side-alley, she walked as fast as she could. Tarrying too long in such a place was not a wise thing for her to do, especially in New York City and especially considering her experiences.

She wasn't that stupid.

Beth still had to fight back the sense of foreboding building up inside of her, though. She stubbornly persevered, however, hurrying along at a frantic pace and keeping her ears and eyes alert for any trouble. Anything at all that looked menacing to her, Beth decided she would run back to her apartment and just go hungry until morning. She had gone without food before; she could do it again and for one more night if she had to.

Just the same, the more she walked, the more she began to realize that waiting until the next day might have been better to do, all things considered. Even though she hated being out during the day, it was certainly safer than being in the alley right now and at night.

"_What was I thinking?"_ she moaned to herself.

Regardless of her second thoughts, Beth knew that it was too late to go back, now; she was almost halfway to her goal. She was fully aware that once she had the courage to go outdoors, she usually had to force herself to follow through with the task. There was no telling how long it would be before she found the gumption to go outside again.

Suddenly and just before she reached the halfway point in the alley, where it T-ed across the end of another byway running directly behind her brownstone apartment, she heard someone groan. At first, it only made her walk faster. She thought to herself that whoever it was, probably had too much too drink and the last thing she wanted was to cross paths with a drunk.

"_I hate drunks!"_ she mumbled vehemently and having good reason to feel that way, too. Yet she pushed those reasons aside, fearing another episode, Beth gave a cautionary glance to a pile of debris resting along the back wall of the buildings facing Seventh Street. She was certain the moaning came from there. Now, she hurried even more, recognizing there were cardboard boxes in among the trash.

Still, the groaning intensified, sounding more desperate. In that moment, Beth felt compelled to slow down just a little. She recognized how pain-filled the complaint seemed to be.

A small quiet voice inside of her then suddenly warned, "_Don't get involved, Beth. You know what happened the last time you did. Don't – be - **stupid**."_

She tried to hurry on, shuddering in worry and almost near to panicking. As she passed the very point in the alley from where she had heard the voice, the groan suddenly strangled. It was as if the owner was having difficulty breathing, now.

Instead of another inner warning, in a rush, her father's words came back to her, pushing aside her previous anxiety, "_Never pass up an opportunity for a good deed, Beth." _

"_It was a good deed that ruined my **life**!"_ she countered angrily. The girl shook her head, trying to ignore her father's voice, ignore its prodding; trying to remember what happened the last time that she tried to help someone.

Yet, unmercifully, it persisted, "_Do something good and good will do something for you!"_

"_Yeah, right…try telling that to the drunk who attacked me,"_ she moaned to herself. She carefully recalled that event, gingerly skirting around the emotions it created, lest she lapse into another episode. As she remembered it, the drunk had played injured and begged for her help. There had been the smell of alcohol wafting up from the cardboard box where he lay, seemingly injured. She had hesitated ever so slightly, even then.

Yet, the caring nature that was Beth's and the way her father had raised her to be - to show compassion, overwhelmed her better judgment. When she finally tried to help the man, he lunged at her, cupping his hand over her mouth, before dragging her into his home - the cardboard box. There, he proceeded to rape and then assault her.

After it was all over, he had fled, but not until he had stabbed her several times. He had left her bleeding and almost near death, in fact. She was mostly unconscious, but if the police had not come by shortly afterwards and hadn't heard her moaning, she probably would have certainly died.

As it was, she ended up spending six months in the hospital, enduring several operations and countless sessions with physical therapist and counselors.

Then, tragically and before she was even at a point of recovery, her father had died suddenly from a heart attack and so went her reasons for getting better.

In her mind, how could she have her life back again the way that it was before, when her father was alive? Now that he was gone, there wasn't anyone to protect her. She was alone - helpless.

Just the same, she did have enough presence of mind to get through the legalities of her inheritance. The fact that she was her father's sole beneficiary, where her mother had died years earlier, made the transition of his fortunes smoother than if there were brothers and sisters clambering for his wealth.

Then, the police lucked out when they found the man responsible for raping and almost killing Beth. It was soon after the trial, after he was convicted and sentenced, when she began her catatonic episodes. Hard as she tried to keep them from happening, though, they were relentless, gradually forcing her into seclusion and hiding away from the rest of the world.

Her life, as she once knew it, soon evaporated into nothingness.

Now, as she continued to listen to the groaning and strangled breathing from the alley, it seemed to get louder with urgency. Her prior fear melted away to concern. The more Beth listened, the more she realized she couldn't just ignore it, even if she wanted to. She just had to know what was wrong. At the very least, she could go back to the police, a block away, and tell them. Then, they could handle the problem and she could live with herself, knowing that she had helped someone in need. Her conscience would then rest easier.

She stopped, realizing she had to do this. She didn't know what compelled her, though. Beth knew she should try to ignore it, but she had already made up her mind.

Turning back around and facing the line of brickwork buildings, now, she took small slow steps as she followed the source of the sound. Almost right away, she noticed a thin ribbon of red, a glistening trial running along one side of the alley.

"_Blood?"_ she wondered tenuously.

It almost made her re-think her decision. She hesitated for just a second, too. Visions of her assault came back to her in a blinding, awful rush, the slightest tremor of fear beginning to grow up her spine. In that moment, she had all she could do to hold on to her conscious state.

Nevertheless, the groaning continued, becoming a bit louder even, and pulling Beth further back to the waking world.

As she studied the trail of red and visually followed its path, she noted in the scant light the blood was still fresh. Haltingly, she followed it over to where it ran under the small mountain of the discarded boxes. She ducked into the shadows along the rear wall of the warehouse and looked around, holding her breath.

Every fiber of her being was on edge, now, for she was certain this was a trap, yet just as certain someone was injured and needed her help. She wrestled with both thoughts pulling at her. So far, the alley seemed empty – except for her and the person whom she knew was obviously hurt. She reassessed the blood-trial seeping out from under the cardboard boxes. It was already far too similar to what happened to her five years before.

As the boxes taunted Beth, threatening her with visions of her assault, at the same time, something distracted her from what would surely have become another episode. Beth noticed a long metal object lying next to that side of the alley and up against the back of the building. Strangely, the object seemed way out of place in the city.

As she took a step closer, she quickly ascertained that the object was a sword.

"_What?"_ she asked, her brows pinching together in curiosity, "_What is a sword doing here?"_ She looked around cautiously and then turned back to study the weapon a little better.

The length of the narrow steel blade appeared just a little longer than two feet, with its hilt made from some blackened material, maybe wood or possibly an alloy of sorts. It seemed aged or at least well used, too. Gasping just a little, Beth cocked her head a bit and looked at it more intently. Something about the weapon alarmed her and it was then that she was able to identify the reason.

Smeared along the halfway point and down to its very tip, a thick coating of blood covered the sword's shiny blade. For a second time, she caught her breath and seriously considered continuing on to the store and just ignoring her conscience. Then, she wondered if the blood belonged to the person in pain, or…someone else entirely.

Finally, feeling braver than she had in recent memory, Beth quickly moved some of the boxes away. She tried to ignore the feel of the corrugated cardboard and the memories they conjured up for her. Mustering her courage further, she pushed them back and, little by little, she removed the pile of junk one piece at a time. She began to work faster, now, as the groaning intensified. Whoever it was lying underneath, seemed desperate for help, as if its very life depended on her and her alone!

As she removed more of the debris away, there in front of her, lying along the concrete ground, a form began to take shape. The body appeared crumpled and in a fetal position, its limbs twitching involuntarily, maybe because of pain. Moving more of the discarded trash and boxes from the injured person, she could hear him groan more audibly, now. She hurried, certain the person was truly hurt and in need of her help. Maybe he would die if she didn't move fast enough. Now, empty and torn boxes flew, as she wildly cleared them away from the person underneath.

Yet, with each box she removed, as she began to see who it was, the truth slowly began to dawn on her. Whoever was injured and buried beneath the debris was not human; that is if their skin coloring was any indication.

At first, she was simply curious; believing the meager light in the alley was playing tricks on her. She even laughed to herself, thinking about what she thought she saw.

However, it didn't take long before she realized what she was looking at was something not influenced by the lack of lighting.

Immediately, Beth wanted to scream, to race back to her apartment, and to safety.

Nevertheless, a stronger motivation begged her to find out what it was she was really looking at.

As she assessed the creature lying along the ground before her, bleeding and in obvious agony, Beth thought of aliens and wondered if maybe this creature was from outer space. She laughed again, knowing how preposterous that sounded. Yet, she could not deny what she was looking at, no – not at all!

As she pushed the last remaining box away, fully revealing the person beneath it, she could only stand there in awe, gawking like an idiot. She apparently did so for a much longer time than common sense said she should have. Before she could react and before she could sound out, the thing on the ground ceased its moaning and opened its eyes.

Now, it stared right back at her, his darkened orbs filled with pain and – with fear.

Beth had all she could do to stand riveted to her spot in the alley as she looked back down at the strange being. She was mute and slack jawed with shock, her arms limp at her side in surprise. She tried to make sense of things and, although she wanted to run for her life, she could only stand there instead, mute and immobile.

Whether it was the boxes or the creature, it was hard to tell. In either event, Beth was unable to move or even to think, because – once again - she had gone catatonic.


	2. Uncertain Observations

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Once again, I'm clueless how to cash in on this, so – for now – I'm broke. I claim only the story as mine. _

**Chapter 2 – Uncertain Observations**.

Sitting there in her chair inside her apartment, Beth stared across the room at her sofa. The creature was currently sprawled along her couch, sleeping and, for the moment, unaware of its surroundings. Its slumber was fitful at best, where it seemed to be dreaming, its limbs jerking every now and then as if it were fighting something – or someone.

Beth had sat there for a good twenty minutes after bringing the creature up the stairs and into her apartment. When she had first helped it to her sofa, it collapsed almost gratefully, slipping into an unconscious, though restless, state immediately thereafter.

Now, whatever the thing was, it seemed to be fading in and out of wakefulness. It would open its eyes every now and then, but seemed unable to focus on anything in particular, only to fall back to sleep again. Then, periodically, it would moan as if in a great deal of pain.

From the obvious cuts and abrasions that were evident along its body, Beth assumed someone had beaten it up. The more she looked at some of the more grievous wounds, however, she was certain a very sharp implement made the cuts; maybe even a sword like the one she found back in the alley. If that were true, then someone else probably knew about the creature.

That thought worried her a great deal.

By her astute observation, however, Beth could tell that what lay on her sofa was reptilian…and heavy! How she managed to get it to the brownstone from the alleyway, let alone up the stairs by herself to her apartment, was a miracle. Yet, almost as if from the being itself, she had felt a sudden urgency to help hide it, to keep anyone else from finding it. She really couldn't explain the feeling and, certainly, under normal circumstances, she would not have even gone out of her way to assist it.

Beth trusted very few people, as it was.

Still, it was perfectly clear to the girl that this creature was not human, though it did seem surprisingly intelligent. Despite its injuries, the beast's determination to climb the apartment stairs with her encouraged Beth to do what she could to give aid. Moreover, she was rather amazed with his ability to traverse such a simple obstacle as steps. It just seemed to her to be a rather strange oxymoron, considering the creature's obvious species.

As Beth sat there in her chair and watched the creature, she thought back to when she was still in the alley with it. It wasn't lost on her, then, that taking this creature out among the public for all to see would not have been a good idea. Had she done so, by now it would surely be at the police station in an observation room, surrounded by scientist and zookeepers all arguing over who would get to keep it. Maybe they would call in the federal agency, considering the thing's unique physical attributes. Yet, Beth knew that there would have been only one of two futures for the creature, the zoo, or a laboratory. Either one promised ill will for the being.

Therefore and despite her fears, once she had helped it up to a stand, Beth had forfeited her own cape to hide it.

That alone blew her away. It could actually stand and on two feet, no less. She originally thought it would crawl on all fours, as an animal would. Yet, unlike an animal, the moment it became aware of her help, it had reached out for her proffered hand with one of its own.

At first, Beth was hesitant. This was how it had all happened the last time, when she tried to help someone. The memory came back, taunting her with visions of an outreached hand belonging to an injured homeless person, begging for her help. But then, when she did try to help him…

Beth quickly shoved the memory aside; this was different, she knew this. The man who attacked her, he wasn't green and, as she looked at the creature lying on the ground, the man of her past didn't wear a blue mask, either. She had puzzled over the face covering, taking note of how it only covered the area just above its snout. When the creature looked at her, she could easily see its eyes, the chocolate brown orbs pleading through the openings, yet full of pain and worry, too.

Determined now, she assisted the creature in righting itself up. Just as it managed to rise to a stand, the beast suddenly slumped forward against her as its legs buckled, its strength nearly spent. Beth tried to steady it, catching it by its other arm to help keep it from dropping back down to the ground. She ended up slightly bloodied as his arms wrapped around her for support, but she was so busy trying to keep it vertical, she hadn't noticed – not until later, after she had it in her apartment and lying on her couch.

It was also when she discovered how heavy the creature truly was. Realizing the improbable odds of getting it to safety if she had to carry it, she began to second-guess her decision to help. Yet, in the next moment, it seemed to mumble something to her, his chin resting upon her shoulder, whispering weakened words to her. She could feel its breath as it tried to sound out, yet his voice was so garbled, Beth was unable to discern if it was trying to speak or was just making animalistic noises.

Nevertheless and despite her inability to discern what it was trying to say, she clearly sensed that the creature was grateful for her help, but desperate to avoid discovery, too. That was when Beth made a decision as far as how she was going to hide it.

Not at all sure that the creature would understand, Beth said, if only to herself, "I need to take my cloak off; try not to fall, okay?"

Surprisingly, it nodded, though seemingly too weak to utter even a growl. She startled a little, but realized she didn't have the time to think about it. Shrugging one arm out of the coat-sleeve, she used that arm to help support the creature, while she eased her other arm out of the opposite one. Then, she swung the garment around the animal's shoulders, adjusting the hood over its head and securing the first couple of buttons to help keep the cape on. All this she did while she tried to keep it upright, a task that was almost exhausting, considering how heavy the creature weighed against her.

Once she had it concealed beneath her cloak, she then slowly led it through the alley towards the front of her brownstone apartment. With one of his arms draped across her shoulders, it walked hesitantly beside her, its weakened state compromising its stride. She adjusted her pace to match that of the creature's, not wanting to overtax it and, thereby, causing it to fall. Beth was certain that if it did, she would never get it to stand back up again.

Just the same, she was thankful that the creature stood a bit shorter than she did, in that way the cape covered most of its body. Only its feet were exposed and that alone was startling enough. Aside from the fact they were green like the rest of it, Beth noted that the creature had two toes for each foot. As if things could not be more amazing than that, she quickly saw that both of its hands were green, too, and sported only three fingers.

Considering the overall strangeness of this incredible find, Beth couldn't help but to be somewhat excited about it. Yet, she thought it ironic how her own kind scared the wits out of her, yet this creature did not. Why, she couldn't say, but it was as if she knew, instinctively, that it wouldn't harm her.

Fortunately, she had found that whatever was going on at Seventh and Greenwich was still keeping curious eyes distracted. Thankfully, as she stepped out from the alley and onto her street, the population at large virtually ignored her and her 'friend'. Thankfully, the two made it up the brownstone's front steps and into the main foyer of the building before anyone saw them.

However, once she succeeded in slowly helping it up the four flights of stairs, it was nearly impossible to guide it around the maze of squeaks in the floor by her apartment. The first groan from the wood boards made her cringe, almost causing her to hurry the creature along towards her apartment. The second squeak was louder than the first, followed by the gentle creak of a door from behind her. Beth knew that the old woman was watching, now, but Beth had to ignore her in order to get the creature into the apartment.

As Beth thought about it, the situation seemed rather amusing. With her nosey neighbor always listening for the familiar squeak in the hallway, the woman seemed oblivious to the fact that her own door sounded out a bit when opened. How she could think that no one was aware of her prying eyes was hilarious.

Just the same, it irritated Beth a great deal, even now – oh, especially now, where she was certain the elderly snoop would scream if she knew what was under the cape. The girl could only hope that the old bat would sum up the 'visitor' as one more oddity in her strange neighbor's life – and not notice the creature's green feet.

Now, as she sat in her apartment, Beth was in a quandary. What was she going to do with it? As she continued to watch the creature sleep on her couch, she knew she had to clean its wounds; otherwise, they would become infected. Since it was impossible to take it to the doctors or even to a veterinarian, it was obvious she would have to care for it herself.

When she was certain that it would remain asleep, Beth moved from her chair and made for her bathroom. She quickly returned to the living area with antiseptics, bandages, and a wet cloth.

However, she hesitated before getting down to work.

She remembered from years ago, when her dog had been hit by a car, how an injured animal behaved. Although she ended up having to put down her pet and best friend, the animal's resistance to accepting help had surprised her. Snapping and growling, the dog refused to let anyone get near him – even his owner. Beth's father had told her then, that animals would oftentimes become dangerous when injured. Eventually, they did manage to get the dog to the vets, but his injuries were far too severe for him to survive.

Still, recalling how vicious her beloved friend had reacted, the memory gave her something to consider now.

Consequently, her hesitation in assisting the creature sleeping on her couch was understandable.

_"It did seem willing to let me help it earlier,"_ she thought to herself, _"but, maybe it was too weakened to fight then." _Not surprisingly, she had mixed feelings about what to do.

As she watched it, trying to decide the best course of action to take, the creature suddenly opened its eyes and looked straight at her - again.

She faltered just a little, swallowing and realizing that her mouth had suddenly gone dry.

Nevertheless and adding one more quirk to her bizarre experience, it spoke, "P – please…help me?"

"Wh-what did you just say?" Beth stood there, bug-eyed and not quite believing what she had just heard.

"Please – help me," it asked again, but weaker this time. The creature's head lolled to one side as if trying to hold it steady was painful. Then, its face grimaced a little as if to confirm that point.

So taken with the creature's physical state, Beth failed to realize the absurdity of its ability to speak. All she thought of was giving it aid. Shaking her head and realizing it was requesting her assistance, "Of course, yes, of course I'll help you," Beth then hurriedly sat down next to the couch with her supplies, facing the creature.

The being looked at her for a long moment and, out of reflex, she looked back. She was somewhat surprised by its almost human expression, consequently, she quickly shied away. It had been a very long time since anyone had looked at her, so the creature's gaze made Beth quite uncomfortable. Considering how she had stopped caring for herself and had very few reasons to do so, knowing her own lackluster appearance only added to her uneasiness.

The creature faintly smiled at her as if sensing the girl's mild distress, but then it closed its eyes and turned his head away.

It was then that Beth began the process of cleaning his cuts. Taking the wet cloth in her hand, she gently wiped away the blood and grime from the beast's open wounds. While she did, she watched the creature's face from the corner of her eye. She didn't look directly at it, for fear of having it look right back at her again, but she _was_ just a little curious. It groaned once when she became too distracted with her study, wiping too hard on a more open wound.

"Sorry, sort of got carried away there…" she apologized quickly.

Swallowing, it replied weakly as it looked back up at her, "S'okay…y'need to clean it out,"

Beth startled just a little. Initially, when it first spoke to her, she was in too much shock to realize its verbal skills. However, now she did. The voice was definitely male, if she was anything of an expert on such matters. He seemed young, though, as if maybe still in his teens or even his early twenties.

Nevertheless, considering his species, it was hard to discern how old he truly was.

Yet, how the creature came to be this way was a mystery to her.

Questions about his origins ran through her mind like a hive of angry bees as she gingerly worked at tending to his wounds. Looking at them, she knew that his injuries would need a better cleaning than what she was giving them. Considering the poor thing's current state, though, what she did so far would have to be enough.

After cleaning as many of the cuts as she could, Beth followed up with peroxide and some Neosporin. She then bandaged the worse ones, to stem the flow of blood. Most of his cuts seemed superficial, though, which was good. However, a few were more serious. Fortunately, blood loss seemed to be minimal. Just the same, she was puzzled as to why he would be in so much pain and so incapacitated, when his injuries did not seem to be that severe.

As she worked, Beth soon noticed bruising along his head.

She braved a question to him, "Did you fall down?"

"Don't know….can't – remember," he replied hesitantly, frowning. He furrowed his brow in concentration and then in frustration, "Can't remember anything," he sighed in despair, bringing one hand up to rub the side of his head.

She was quiet for a moment, casually looking at the discoloration along the side of his skull. Even though his skin was green, the purplish blue abrasions were quite evident. "You probably have a bit of amnesia," she told him, "More than likely from a concussion."

He nodded a little, but still seemed more out of it than not. He swallowed a bit and commented, "Probably, yeah…" Then he closed his eyes and appeared to fall back to sleep once again.

As she watched him, Beth could not help but notice his oddly shaped head, but then, for that matter, most of the creature was odd. His skull was more domed and broad between the eyes, allowing the possibility for a large brain. Considering he had just spoken, she finally admitted that he seemed quite intelligent, too. She also took note of the blue bandanna around his. The material seemed weathered, as if it were old and well worn, with small rips and threads evident to that fact. Tied in the back, the mask had tails that were long and flowing. Beth's eyes traveled down his front to his waist and noticed that he wore something like a belt. It had a crisscross of leather going up the front of his chest, wrapping sharply around the top of his shoulders and down his back – or his shell.

A shell?

_"Why didn't I see that earlier?"_ she thought in surprise. A shell on his back – a…turtle shell? _"Well, why not,"_ she mused to herself wryly. As odd as he was, she realized that the shell should not have been too much of a surprise for her.

As he lay on his side with the edge of his carapace exposed to her, Beth gingerly ran her fingers across the scalloped edges of his shell. She felt the rough, bony texture beneath her touch and, although much of it was flat against the back of her couch, she could see the varied definitions of the shell's design. Overall, it had sections, like plates, and was brownish in color, with flecks of green and orange here and there. Beth could also denote cuts and slashed carved into the surface and which marred its otherwise beautiful design.

It made her wonder what had caused the imperfections.

Looking at the rest of the creature, she saw how his chest seemed to be made of the same material as his shell, only not as rigid. It was of a different color, too, almost a tawny yellow. Then, she noticed his eyes open once again. Before she looked away and retracted her hand, she realized that his eyes were indeed chocolate brown, with black pupils and a bluish ring around the edges. Beth thought they were quite beautiful to look at. However, considering she was touching him, she quickly took her hand away and blushed, embarrassed with becoming too personal with the creature.

Trying to distract him from her inspection, she then asked, "What's with the leather straps?"

"What?" he looked up at her with a dazed and puzzled look.

"These straps that cross in front of you and around your backside, what are they for?" she asked.

He looked down at his chest at them and almost reacted as if seeing them for the first time. Shrugging a little, he looked back up at her and replied honestly, "I don't know…maybe to hold my pants up?"

She looked down at his legs and then back to his face, shaking her head as she smiled a little, "Nope, no pants. You're naked."

He looked at her with a wide surprised expression and shot a look at his lower half, but she laughed a little and said, "I don't think you have anything to worry about. You seem to be self-contained."

Nodding weakly and then relaxing a bit more, he sighed, "Head hurts, though," as he rubbed it again.

Not the least bit surprised, considering the bruising there, she asked him, "Hmm…can you take aspirin?" As she waited for his reply, Beth then began to gather the leftover bandages and other items in order to put them away.

"Y – yeah, I think so," he said and then he tried to sit up. However, the moment he did, his head began to pound, with nausea soon following. "Oh…can't do that, not yet," he moaned as he slid back down onto the couch and into a prone position once more.

"Best you stay horizontal for a while. I'll be back with some Tylenol for you." and then she stood up and left for the bathroom.

When Beth returned to the living area, she saw that her patient had fallen asleep yet again. She knew that if he had a concussion, sleep was the last thing he should be doing. However, her growling stomach reminded her of why she had been in the alley in the first place. She was certain this creature would be hungry, as well, and would want food. Where her cupboards and refrigerator were bare, she knew she would have to go out once again to the store. Unfortunately, she couldn't be in two places at once, so knowing she would not be gone long, she allowed her guest to nap.

Beth sighed and placed the aspirin bottle and the cup of water onto the coffee table. She then retrieved her cape from the floor at the end of the couch where she had dropped it earlier, after bringing the creature back to her apartment. Before he had collapsed onto her sofa, she had managed to unbutton the cape and remove it from him. More concerned with his physical state at the time, Beth had dropped the garment to the floor in a heap.

Now, slipping it on, Beth steeled herself for her second walk across the land mind of squeaky floorboards. As she slipped quietly out the front door, she looked back one last time at the creature. She said a small prayer for him, her compassion growing by the moment for the poor pitiful turtle-man.

Then, after securing and locking the door behind her, Beth carefully maneuvered through the hallway and down the stairs of her brownstone, ignoring - once again - the curiosity of the elderly woman who watched her progress.

**_A/N_**_ – Wow, is all I can say. Seventeen reviews for the first chapter is so far out of my league…I'm dumbstruck, which is not saying a lot since I'm always dumbstruck with any response regarding my stories. :0) I was almost afraid to put up chapter two for fear that it may disappoint some of you! Guess I'll know soon enough._

_So, due to the large volume of reviews and the fact that if I commented on each one I'd end up violating some Fan Fiction rule, I am forced to just list you by name. I offer my heartfelt appreciation that all of you found the time to even glance my way! Thanks so very much for your comments! **Pretender Fanatic; Kuroi Neko-kun JeFfYzGaL2, Ramica, NemesisMuse, MidnightHeir, BubblyShell22, beth hart, Bird8402, Mystic Mewtwo, Katana-Babe, Lioness-Goddess, pacphys, hazlov2004, Lunar-ninja, Buslady Of SoCal, and finally last, but certainly not the leas, Melika !**_

_Be blessed, one and all:0)_


	3. The Hunters

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: Don't own them. Do own the story that surrounds them, though. Inspired by a friend. Side note: I was aware that there has been at least one story where Leo had amnesia – and I can safely say that it is one story I have not read – yet. I'm tempted, where I want to make sure that I don't unintentionally copy, but then I don't want to stifle my creative juices, either. Enough said. :o)_

**CHAPTER 3 – The Hunters**

New York City brownstones were a godsend to the overcrowding problem of the Big Apple, but not nearly as fortuitous as it was to three very concerned, bi-pedal turtles. Constructed in long, side-by-side rows in a part of the City that had seen better days, the prewar apartments made it easy for the mutants to get across town without anyone seeing them. That is, unless they had to cross a street, which then forced them to go down to ground level. Otherwise, they were able to travel in relative anonymity from the rest of the human population.

Currently, they were looking for someone. Of the three, one was not the least bit pleased with the task.

"Mike, are you sure that Leo was only goin' on a run?" Raph asked irritably as he raced along the top of the brownstone roof.

Approaching the south side of the apartment building that they were currently on, he and his two brothers easily leaped the twelve-inch divider that separated one brownstone from another. Landing easily on the other side, Raph continued running across the top of the five-story structure, while Mike and Don followed along behind him. All three stuck to the central part of the row, keeping to the shadows, lest anyone in the taller, nearby structures take notice of them.

Now would not be a good time for someone to spot them, considering the fact that their oldest brother was currently 'AWOL'.

"Look, it's what Leo told me, 'kay?" Mike insisted while he huffed along. He looked behind him to make sure that Don was keeping up. It wasn't that his genius brother was slow, but there were times when Don would spot something 'interesting' and become a little distracted. He was always finding discarded junk to take home, often fixing his discoveries, and getting them working again. Such items as discarded televisions, toasters and other conveniences made it possible for the turtles to have the amenities that they did.

However, this night Donatello was just as concerned about their 'fearless leader' as Mike and Raph were. Consequently, he kept his focus on their current task; that is - finding Leonardo.

"You know, the way Leo's been actin' lately, Mike, takin' off this way on a regul'r basis an' all," Raph grumbled to his youngest brother, "it's almost as if he's..."

Mike finished for him, "Tired of leading?" Coming alongside his brother, he leaped almost in unison as the two of them sailed side by side over a narrow alleyway to the next series of brownstones. Donatello followed closely from behind.

"Yeah, tired of leadin'." Raph concurred. He noticed Don had caught up with them and was now keeping pace, so he turned to him as they sailed over another apartment divider, "You think he's try'n to quit, Don?"

Don did not answer right away. However, after a quick moment and while the trio stopped to look down the backside of a set of brownstone to the dimly lit alley below, he replied, "Might just want some time to himself. After all, being the 'fearless leader' you two make him out to be, that's a lot of pressure, not to mention what Sensei puts on him."

"Well," Raph commented, snorting in frustration at another unsuccessful search, "He can't quit and he can't take time off, cuz if he quits, then Splinta's gonna wan'a new leadah and we know neither of you will take the job. That leaves..."

Mike finished for him, again, sighing just a little, "You. Yeah, we know, Raph." He was not too thrilled with the prospect, either, and it wasn't the first time his brother had ranted on about the prospect.

"I ain't tak'n the job, no matta how hard Splinta' pushes me, I'm not tak'n it." Raph growled out, setting off again across the apartment roof.

The three ran silently along the top of the brownstones, keeping to the rear of the buildings as they followed along the back-alley. Across from them to their left was another set of brownstones that faced Greenwich Ave. As they ran, they quickly checked out each area in their hunt before moving on to the next apartment. They were working their way to where Greenwich Ave and Seventh St. intersected, sticking to the shadows that the various storage-sheds and air ducts offered them. When they had to, they would leap over the narrow expanse of alleys and narrow streets as they searched for their missing brother. So far, they had managed roughly fifteen blocks of brownstones, only occasionally going to ground level if the distance between buildings proved to be too great.

Currently, the moon hid like a phantom behind a curtain of dark clouds as it ghosted across the night sky. It deepened the shadows of the evening and aided their task to remain hidden from curious eyes. For the past hour, the three had been searching for their older sibling. However, each subsequent minute that passed without even a clue to Leo's whereabouts, caused more concern for them.

Consequently, they were starting to become desperate.

Don wondered as he followed his brothers onto yet another rooftop, "Maybe he went down to street level."

Snorting, Raph countered as he turned to face him, "Not Leo, not with the Foot as active as they've been." He slowed his progress, looking around at the top of the apartment they were on, "Not willingly, anyway."

As he stopped at the edge of the last apartment on that particular block, thereby halting their progress, Raph leaned his head back to look up at the ebony sky. Letting out along frustrated breath, "He has to be somewhere, bros," Raph glanced back down to the rooftop. Yet, as he did so, something caught is attention.

Blood.

"Hey, guys…" he whispered urgently, "look, there's blood here." Raphael crouched into a squat. He noticed a fine, but heavy smattering of red spread out along the roof's tarpaper, as if it sprayed from its source in an outward arch. Next, he ran his fingers through some of the droplets of liquid red. Rubbing the substance between thumb and finger, he announced, "and it's relatively fresh, too; maybe an hour old or less."

Both Don and Mike bent down to take a look. "Yeah," Don agreed, "It is recent." He, too, dragged a finger through the blood and worked it between his fingers as Raph had done. "Do you think it's Leo's?"

Mike shrugged, "How would Raph know that, Don? You're the genius in the clan. What do you think?"

Don brought his now-red fingers up to his snout and sniffed, squinting just a bit in concentration and allowing the coppery scent to permeate his senses. Finally, he said, "Well, I know one thing."

Both Raph and Mike chorused, "What?"

Grinning just a bit, Don deadpanned, "You're right, it is blood," and quickly ducked to avoid getting a smack from Raphael. "Just kidding. Honestly, though, I wouldn't be able to tell if it's Leo's or a cat's unless I brought a sample back to the lair."

"Well," Raph suggested as he rose to stand once more, "on the assumption that it is Leos, we need to find him and fast."

Walking to the edge of the building and peering down below them, they spied yet another alley. It crossed and intersected with the one that they had been following, causing that one to dead-end. The new alley ran between Greenwich and Waverly and behind a long, single row of businesses that faced Seventh Street. The three crouched down once again as they visually inspected the area, trying to see anything that might provide more clues to their brother's whereabouts. While they did, they kept their profiles low and as much in the shadows as they could.

"Leo could have run into some Foot up here." Don commented, "The way the blood sprayed out like that, might have been from a main artery rupture, which would happen if an arm was severed." He looked around, as did the others. "However, I don't see an arm lying around; do you?" Don asked as he visually scanned the area.

"Nope." Mike replied dryly, "But that doesn't mean it didn't happen. They could have just taken it with them."

Raph looked at his orange-masked brother, "Right, I'm sure they took a useless arm back to their headquarters."

"Well, why would they leave behind a severed arm like that?" Don remarked as he sided with Mike, "Once it starts to decay, the smell alone will attract attention, and then the whole neighborhood will be quarantined by the police." Shaking his head, Don added, "The Foot's been too busy at this end of town; they wouldn't leave any evidence of their presence like that."

"Whatevah." Raph grumbled and sighed. He looked across the tops of the building across from them that faced Seventh. "Maybe he went over to Greenwich-proper to people watch."

As Raph began to straighten back up, Don looked to his right and spied a lone figure hurrying through the alley from the direction of Waverly Avenue. The person was heading for Greenwich, obviously using the alley as a short cut. Their hurried pace indicated that they were not very comfortable being there, either.

Don silently reached out and pulled Raph back down to a crouch position again, with Mike doing the same.

The individual was wearing a hooded cape, so it was hard to discern if the figure was male or female. Either way, all three turtles noted the person seemed to be holding a couple bags of groceries in their arms.

"Not a smart thing to do, traveling through an alley like that," Don commented softly, as he observed the human's hasty progress.

Both of his brothers nodded in agreement and then Raph whispered, "Might as well stick around and make sure they get safely to the other end, eh?" He sighed, "Then, we continue looking for Leo?"

"Works for me." Don agreed.

Suddenly, the two heard a voice off to their left. It was soft, too soft for the person below to hear him, yet, just the same, it was augmented to sound low and theatric, "We wait, we watch, WE are the Sentries of the Night, Guardians of the Foolhardy, Protectors of the…" Mike soon felt a fist slugging him in the arm.

"Idiot of the Sewers…Be quiet, and just keep yer eyes peeled for trouble, 'kay, Mike?" Raphael growled out.

"Sheesh, just trying to make this more interesting." Mikey complained in mock indignation. He then went serious as the three of them continued to watch the progress of the person in the alley below.

As she walked along, Beth hefted the bags again to re-position them better in her arms. She had not planned on going through the alley to get back home, but while she was in the store, she remembered the sword.

Initially, she was just going to forget about it, where she doubted very much it belonged to the creature. However, if it were indeed her patient's possession, then the right thing to do would be to try to retrieve it for him.

She also knew that leaving the sword in the alley would only advertise the fact that something had been seriously hurt. With the blood on the sword and on the ground nearby, it would only cause alarm if someone else found it. Yet, it frightened her with just thinking about the kind of element who had obviously beaten up her guest. If they could do that to a simple creature, how much harm could they, then, do to her?

That was her greatest fear.

Just the same, though, she felt obligated and somewhat compelled to retrieve the weapon before the police, or someone else, discovered it.

As she came to the part in the alley where she had first found the creature, she slowed down. Looking around to make sure that there wasn't anyone watching, she turned back towards the debris pile. Using her foot, she moved several small crates and boxes to the side, quickly revealing the item in question. She stared at it for just a moment before shifting her packages one more time in order to pick the sword up.

The trio of mutants watched from the rooftop above as the lone figure below them slowed their progress through the alley. They watched as the person looked over the area. Then, they saw him use his foot to move some of the debris that was alongside the back of the warehouse. As the human shifted one of the grocery bags over to the other arm, he bent down as if to pick something up.

Straightening back to vertical, he turned around to face the middle of the alley, as if to use what lighting there was to inspect his find.

It was then that he held up a sword, as if examining it.

That was when all three ninja brothers sucked in their breath.

"Leo's katana!" Raph hissed through his bared teeth. "What in _shell_ is he doing with one of Leo's katana? And, where's the other one"

"Don't know, bro, maybe it's with Leo. But I think that person knew it was there all along," Mike remarked, "He slowed way too expectantly to just see it by accident, He knew it was there. I'm betting he knows where Leo is, too!"

"Hey, let's not jump to conclusions, guys. Could be he saw it by accident. Who knows," Don said, "maybe at his angle, he saw it poking out and went to investigate?"

"Just the same," Raph exclaimed, "We need to get it back." He began to edge slowly towards the lip of the roof to climb down to the alley below.

Don, however, gently laid a hand on his brother's arm, "Maybe we should shadow him first, Raph, and find out where he lives, and then go from there."

Raphael growled low under his breath. He would have preferred to jump the person and scare him into telling where his brother was. Just the same, he had to agree with his brainiac brother.

Reluctantly, Raph nodded in agreement.

Donnie smiled, "Good." He looked down and noticed that the human was starting back towards Greenwich again, the sword cleverly concealed inside their coat. He smiled a little at the ungainly gate the person used, realizing the sword was probably putting them off balance. Turning towards Raphael, Don suggested, "Maybe one of us should follow him, to see where he lives."

As she wielded the weapon around and examined it, Beth was surprised with how heavy the sword was. She had all she could do to slip it under her cloak without losing her groceries. Once she had it successfully beneath the fabric of her cape, though, she eased one of the bags of goods over to her other arm again. Then, she used both bags to secure the weapon against her chest. She grimaced when she realized the bread was going to be a bit flatter once she made it to her apartment.

Just the same, she was determined not to drop the sword.

Overall, it made for a more difficult, if not interesting, walk as she tried keeping the implement from dropping below the hemline of her cloak. She toddled along at first, walking a bit stiffly, and somewhat drunken like.

However, by the time she came to the end of the alley, she had adjusted to the awkward weight of the weapon.

Coming out from the narrow street, she carefully looked around. Considering what she was hiding inside her cloak, her paranoia was at an all time high. Suddenly, she sensed that someone was behind her. Whipping her head around, Beth peered into the alley and looked towards Waverly, two blocks away. She visually took in the piles of junk strewn alongside the back of the buildings, squinting in the patchwork of light and dark. She was certain that someone was there, yet, the longer she looked the more she realized it was probably her anxiety playing tricks on her again.

Huffing a little, she thought to herself, "Hmm…would have sworn there was somebody there."

Shaking off her momentary insecurities, she peered around towards the street again. Looking to her right and towards the corner of Seventh and Greenwich, she was relieved to see that the police were now gone. Earlier, they had been too preoccupied with writing up the crime scene than to notice her. She knew that they had to collect what evidence there was before moving on, which only made her aware of the fact that something of importance had happened with the man in the black pajamas.

Just the same, the last thing she wanted was for the authorities to discover what she had hidden under her cape. The last thing she needed to have happen was to be arrested for possession of a concealed weapon. She _was_ trying to do a good deed, after all.

Nevertheless, Beth had learned long ago that such good deeds often backfired.

Realizing that the police had moved on and were no longer in her area, she relaxed and set her mind on getting back inside her apartment and to safety.

Once she was in the main foyer, she breathed a temporary sigh of relief. Now, climbing the stairs was going to be her next challenge. Looking up through the stairwell towards the fourth level, she wondered if it would be prudent to leave one bag of groceries behind, just so she would be able to manage the sword better. When she had the weapon safely inside her home, she could then return for the other bag. As she thought about it, though, Beth knew that her groceries would probably be 'long gone' by that time.

Realizing there wasn't any other way; she took a big breath and the first step towards her apartment.

"Are you sure he went inside, Raph?" Don asked his brother.

Raph took a deep breath and shook out the strain in his hand from climbing back up to the rooftop. Turning towards his siblings, he replied, "Yep, I'm sure. Followed him to Greenwich and then saw him walk straight inside the brownstone across the alley over there." He nodded towards the apartment in question, narrowing his eyes just a bit as he studied the building.

"What'd he do then?" Mike asked as he scratched his arm. He looked over the area below once more, hoping to see Leo's second sword, just in case he had lost it down there, as well.

"Before he came out of the alley, he seemed to know I was nearby. Good thing it's dark 'round that point, though. I used a pile of trash to hide in; he didn't even see me." Raphael smirked and then went serious, as he explained, "However, once he was in the apartment, it's hard to say what he did next. There wasn't any place fer me to hide out front. But I did see 'em walk up the steps and go inside."

"Now what do we do" his two brothers chorused.

Raph was quiet for a moment, thinking about the human, analyzing things in his mind. Turning back to Don, he asked as he folded his arms across his plastron, "If I asked you male or female, which would it be, oh-smart-brother-of-mine?"

"Huh?" Don asked, "Oh, you mean the person with Leo's katana." He looked away as if trying to recall what he saw. Then, he whipped his head back towards Raph, his eyes bright, "Female. Their pace was not quite right to be male. The way they held the sword and how they walked after that, it seemed almost too heavy for them. Definitely female."

"What I was think'n, too, bro." Raph sneered.

"So, male or female, what difference does it make, she still has Leo's katana and he's still missing." Mike shook his head. He was quite confused.

"It means, my dear brother, Leo might be with HER!" Raph grinned and rapped his knuckles on his brother's skull for emphasis. "Most women hate weapons of any kind. For that woman to pick up Leo's katana and take it with her, she had a good reason – and I think that reason is our missing brother!" He then smiled as he turned towards the apartment in question, taking off at a swift run.

"But, why would he be with _her_?" Mike asked, still not convinced as he rubbed the top of his head. He and Don followed Raph as their brother easily leapt from the rooftop they had been standing on. Hurtling over the alley that they had followed earlier, they were no more than a flight of shadows piercing the evening. Like the trained ninja they were, they effortlessly bridged the wide gap between the two brownstone apartments, with all three landing silently on top of the one facing Greenwich. Grabbing the ground to steady themselves, they then continued to run along its roof towards the access door.

As Raph led the way, he explained to Mike as his youngest brother and Don kept pace next to him, "Consider this. Leo's been gone for well over three hours. His runs lately have been an hour, no less, no more; just like clockwork. We can't find him, though, which I think is strange, since we can always find each other. But, no matter where we've searched, Leo remains missing. Why is that?" He looked at his two brothers and saw Mike shrug. However, before either Donnie or Mike could utter a response, Raphael declared, "Because I think Leo's unconscious. I believe he's hurt. That blood back there was too much of a coincidence. I believe that woman knows where he is." He smirked, "She's found his sword, bros. Maybe 'cuz he asked for it or maybe 'cuz she's helping him t'cover his bases. Whatevah." Raph then looked at Mike and grinned, "Either way, Mike, you were right, she knew the katana was there, she knew exactly where to find it. She knows where Leo is, I'm sure of it!"

With that, Raph carefully and quietly opened the unlocked access door. He quickly motioned for his brothers to follow him into the apartment complex. Soon, all three turtles disappeared inside.

**_Pants and Amnesia_**_ – that was the topic for the majority of comments made in the reviews for chapter two. Who would have thought being a turtle and not wearing pants would be funny. LOL Just the same, I truly and sincerely appreciate every person who read and every person who reviewed. Those who left their comments at the door were – **BubblyShell22, MidnightHeir, JeFfYzGaL2, Ghost-girl-13, Lioness-Goddess, pacphys, Eagle20401, Ramica, Lunar Ninja, Mystic Mewtew, Darktiger2, Katana-Babe, and Pretender Fanatic**. Gosh, guys, you slay me with your interest with this story. Thanks so much for taking the time. For obvious reasons, to comment on each of yours would violate some 'fine print' rule of Fan Fiction as far as how much room it would take - and I do desire not to rock that proverbial boat. However, to Lunar Ninja wondering how Leo could get amnesia, he had head trauma and a concussion – which can often cause amnesia. Traumatic events can also result in memory loss, but brain damage is usually the reason. Anyway, in the meantime, be blessed and may ya'll have a wonderful holiday._


	4. Ninja Quiet?

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_I do not own turtles, not even here at home. I do own a new, though. Yet, I highly doubt it knows ninjitsu. A Ninja Newt. Hmm…now there's an idea. Just the same, I only own the story and nothing else. Be blessed._

**CHAPTER 4 – Ninja Quiet? **

Beth had just made it inside her apartment with the groceries and sword, when she heard a noise coming from behind her. By her estimation, it sounded as if it came from the stairs that led to the fifth level. Although the noise was similar to the squeaks the boards in the hallway floor made, it was different enough to catch her attention. It also seemed vaguely familiar to her.

She stood stock-stilll then,andher eyes went wide at the sudden realization, just as a shiver of fear ran up her spine. In that moment, she remembered what would have made such a noise.

Along the stairs leading to the fifth level, two steps had noticeable squeaks along thesection that jack-knifed up to the fifth story. For Beth, she always knew whenever someone was using them. However, the last time she had heard the squeakswas six months earlier when the last of the fifth-floor tenants had moved out. As far as Beth knew, the superintendent had not been able to find new renters.

She was also aware of the fact that she had been alone in the stairwell just a moment ago. The girl was certain if there wasn't anyone going up, it surely meant that no one should be coming down.

Whipping around and almost dropping her groceries and the sword, she stood there by the threshold, holding her breath. Using her foot, she slowly closed the door, the soft click of the striker echoing in the hallway outside as it latched. Then,Beth shifted a bag in her right arm, reaching out with her free hand to turn all three locks into place. As she leaned in, pressing her ear to the wood, she stilled her breathing againas she listened.

_"Who in the world would be coming down those steps?" _she asked herself, feeling her heart beginning to race.

Quickly looking over at her sleeping guest, Beth was relieved to find that he had not stirred. In fact, he seemed to be in the same position he had been in before she left.

Curious, she glanced over at the coffee table and noticed that the water and aspirin were still where she had put them. It seemed to heras if the creature had slept the entire time while she was gone. Now, she was more econcerned for his welfare than before. Considering how much he had moanedbefore she left, Beth expected to see at least an arm or a leg in a different position. However, now where he didn't seemed to have moved at all, her worry intensified.

Recalling the bruising along his head and how he had complained of having a headache,Beth knew that he might be suffering from a concussion. If that was true, thenkeeping him awake would have been better for him in the long run than allowing him to fall sleep. Yet, it was important to getsupplies, where she didn't have any way of feeding him or herself. Leaving the creature unattended was unavoidable, forthere wasn't any other way for Beth to getto the store other than goingherself.

But then, the noise from the stairwall gave her a new kind of concern.

As she went back to regarding the the hallway outside her door, she listened one last time, her ear pressed to the wood. Hearing only the frantic beat of her own heart, the girl concluded that the sound must have been from something else. With everything occuring that evening, maybe her paranoia was acting up again. The sword was definitely a good enough reason for that to happen, especially where it had been coated in blood. Considering what that might mean, she looked over at the creature again,her anxiety growing justa little more.

Then she thought about when she had passed through the alleyway, the feeling that someone had been watching her. Considering her experience from five years earlier, Beth had become quite hypersensitive to certain things, especially her proximity to people. With that said, she was quite certain someone had been in the alley behind her, possibly hiding in the shadows. Despite the fact she hadn't been able to see anything when she looked, that feeling still persisted even now. Yes, she might be paranoid, but it was a fact that had kept her safe these last few years, too.

Shaking her head, she tried to dispel the panic rising inside of her, now. Where she was safe in her apartment, Beth knew she was only overreacting. Just the same, it would not be a good time for her to go catatonic again. She needed her wits and she needed to stay alert, just in case.

With her ear still pressed against the cool wood of her door and just as she decided that the sound had only been her imagination, she heard it again – only, this time, it was louder. She was certain,now, thatthe squeak had come from the stairs leading up to the fifth floor. she backed away, then, and turnedaround, walking over and gingerly placing her groceries on the coffee table next to the couch. Beth then carefully slipped the sword out from under her cloak to lay it quietly down on the floor next to the table.

Slowly, she turned back around to face her front door once again.

She staredat it apprehensively, not sure what to do as she stood there for a long pregnant moment,. Finally, after taking a deep breath, she cautiously approached the door. She took one hesitant step after another, her breathing coming in thin, sporadic gasps. Then, an all too familiar feeling of panicgripped at her throat again.

_"No, keep way…"_ she commanded, swallowing deeply. _"__You're not going to do this to me, again"_ she threatened it silently.

Bracing herself as she eased up to her closed door, she ran her hand softly against the aged wood. She feltits coolness, reveling in the sensation, and trying to focus on that rather than on what was going on inside of her. Then, she gently pressed her ear to the door.

Beth listened and held her breath.

As the step protested beneath his right foot, Raphael froze and held his breath, as did his two brothers. Mike and Donwere right behind him, equally as concerned with the unexpected noise. Then, all three heard the sound of a door closing, its t was as ifthe person closing the door did so in order.

Looking back at Mike and Don, Raph held up two fingers – _second step from the top._He then pointed towards the fourth floor. They nodded inunderstandingand as their brother gingerly continued his descent down the staircase,Mike and Don followed along. Approachingthestep in question,they successfully avoided the one riser that betrayed their presence seconds earlier.

Now, three shadowed figures made their way silently down the stairs, taking each step with deliberation. Fortunately, for them, the ceiling light from the fifth floor hallway had burned out months ago. Despite the scant illuminationseeping upfrom the fourth level below,there were enough shadows were to sufficiently hide them. Unconcerned,they confidently continued their descent.

Suddenly, as they neared the midway point of their downward journey to the fourth level, Raph found yet another loose board and in the same fashion as he had with the first.

This time, its protest seemed even louder.

Cringing and swearing under his breath, the red-banded turtle glared back at his two brothers and shook his head. Raph then held up one finger and smirked.

Mike sniggered silently and Don rolled his eyes disapprovingly fromRaphael's profane gesture. Yet, his message was quite clear – _avoid the one step just before the landing_.

After a moment, all three turtles found themselves standing on the fourth level and breathing easier, too.

Now, as they walked silently into the hallway, Raph quickly noted he hadthree apartments to choose in order to determine which one his brother was in.

The first was just beyond them, along the left side of the hallway where they had come off the stairs. He studied the door for a moment and then looked around at the other two. Noticing that none had a peephole, he breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Just the same, he almost anticipated at least one person looking out from one of the apartments , just to see what had made the noise. To him, the squeaks had been deafening, where he always worked in silence. Therefore,any noise would have been too much as far as he was concerned.

When Raph was sure no one had heard them and wouldn't charge out of their apartment, he walked cautiously up to the first door. Along the way, he kept himself mindful of the unpredictable nature of the wooden floor, testing each with every step he took.

Once he had made it successfully it to his destination and without making any noise, he gently pressed his ear to the door and then listened. Raph could hear heated bickering coming from inside. It seemed to bebetween two people – a man and a woman, by his account. He reasoned that they were probably a husband and wife. Raphael could also discern the woman yelling about the husband's drinking and paycheck, so it was a good bet that he had consumed his week's wages at the local bar before coming home that evening. The turtle sighed and wondered why men did this to their mates. Despite Raphael's own struggle with honor, he had far more honor than doing something like that to someone he loved.

Then, Raph heard a baby's cry. He glanced back at Mike and Don, shaking his head 'no'. They concurred with a similar gesture and accepted accepted his discernment that the person they were looking for was not in the first rental.

Then, Raphael looked to his right and studied the second door. This one seemed to be getting the most illumination from the ceiling light in the hallway. He focused just a little, smiled, and thenlooked over towards the third apartment farthest away and closest to the next set of stairs. Studying apartment 4A, Raphwas certain that whoever lived there was just as oblivious his and his brother's presence as those in apartment 4C were.

Raphael thennodded towards Don.

Don cautiously moved further into the hall. He looked up at the light fixture and then back to Mike. Mike hurried overto join him. Lacing all six of his fingers together, he cupped his hands to create a foothold for Donatello, who thenstepped into the make shift lift, with Raph coming up behind him for support. With Raph's assistance, Mike hefted Don up to the fixture, and then - just to be cheeky -rolled his eyes in mock agony.

Raph glared a threat at his younger brother and mouthed, "Knock it off!"

Mike grinned wide and then gave an innocent shrug. Working in silence didn't necessarily mean one could not enjoy the moment.

Just the same and with one finely tuned glare from Raphael, Mike went back to work at keeping his purple-masked brother steady.

Gingerly and quietly, Don unwound the bulb just enough to where it stayed in its receptacle. With the connection lost between it and the electrical current, deep shadows now filled the hallway. Only the light coming through the stairwell from the third level and from under each of the three doors compromised the dark.

Once Don was standing back down on the floor again, Raphael walked silently over to apartment 4A, the one closest to the next set of stairs. He huggedthe wall as close as he could, certain with the uneven appearance of the floor that he would find mor squeaks there.He worked quickly, but carefully, mindful of each step he took.

When he finally came to the apartment in question, he pressed his ear to the wood and listened for a moment. Then, turning around.he smiled back at his brothers, mouthing,_"Snoring." _It was obvious the person inside was sleeping. Then, Raphael inclined his head towards apartment 4B

Raph scowled, however, for he knew that there were three more floors below them to consider. He also knew that the mystery person could be on any one of them. With the fifth floor vacant, it made things a little easier, but not by much. Yet Raph knew they had to work fast, to find the correct door,before someone waltzed unexpectedly out of their apartment.

Yet, as he thought abouttheir descent and then hearingadoor latch closed, Raph was certain it came fromthe fourth level, and even more so since it occured right afterhe had activated the squeak onthe stairs. Maybe it was his gut instinct or hopeful anticipation, but whatever it was, Raphael knew the woman with his brother's katana was in the middle apartment and on the same floor where they now stood. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. By his estimation, it would have probably taken her as much time to climb the stairs as it did for him and his brothers to decide on checking out the building. It was more likely, then, that she had justwalked intoher apartment when they began their journey down from the fifth floor.

He nodded once towards the door in question, lettingDonnie and Mike know what he suspected. They, in turn,nodded, too, agreeingwith his choice. Once Raph made it back to where his brothers were, all three soon gathered in front of the target apartment.

Silently, Raph walked up to the door, carefully puttinghis ear to the wood. He listened. For a moment, he furrowed his eye ridges, as if he trying to hear something. Then, he looked over at his brothers and, with a raised eye ridge, smiled.

_Jackpot!_

He could not sense Leonardo, but Raph could definitely sense fear on the other side of the door. He could also hear several quick intakes of air, as if someone seemed out of breath. Yet, fear was an easy emotion for him to discern. He knew that whoever the woman was amd who had taken his brother's sword, she was quite afraid. He had easily sensed her emotions from the alleyway. As he stood there and discerned the sounds coming from the other side of the door, it wasn't lost on Raphael that she wasstanding therelistening and in the same way that he was! In fact, if it weren't for the wood separating them, he and the woman would have been ear to ear.

It was obvious the squeak he made earlier had alerted her. He scowled, angry with himself, but he kept his temper in check; now was not the time to lose it.

Gently, Raphael placed a hand on the doorknob, gripping it lightly. If she so much as touched it, he would know and he wanted to be readyto move quickly, just in case she decided to open the door. He looked back at his brothers, giving them a shallow nod and, in that way, Raph told them to move quickly if it became necessary. Then, returning his attention to the door, he narrowed his expression a little, as he focused on the woman's emotional state.

He could sense she was quite worried and mentallyunsteady, as if she was battling some inner turmoil. For only a moment, he caught an almost psychotic fear – and that worried him. He had a choice to make, then. If she was indeed mentally unstable, she might pose a threat to Leonardo, that is if he was indeed inside her dwelling. If he wasn't, then barging in could prove disasterous. So, Raphael decided to err on the side of caustion and just keep to the task of reconoitering the area.

He looked over at Donnie and scowled, mouthing his word as he lipped, "_Terrified."_

For just a moment, Raphael silently thanked his sensei for pushing him to better his discernments in such matters. He wasn't as good as Leo, yet, and maybe he never would be, but Raph was content to have even a little bit of the ability to determine someone's chi.

He then took a deep breath and quietly let it out. He tilted his head down just a little in concentration and tried to gain even more sensitivity. When he was certain of his decision, he looked back again at Donnie and Mike, nodding his head as his mouth formed two words, _"Later...asleep." _It was only then when Raphael released the doorknob from his grasp.

After re-engaging the light bulb into its socket, the illumination fell greedly over the floor and along the walls of the hallway. The trio of mutants thenreturned to the stairs leading back up to the fifth floor. This time, they successfully avoided the two noisy steps,quickly finding their way back up totherooftop without incident.

Once they were safely outside, Raphael finally spoke aloud but kept it to a whisper, "Can't tell if Leo's in the apartment. I can sense somethin's in there othah than that woman, but it's too vague. If it's Leo…" Raph sighed and then said, "Well, I know fer a fact that the person in the second apartment is definitely the one I followed earlier. She's giving off the same kind'a paranoia I sensed from her in thealley, which means that she's terrified. Not sure why, unless she peaked out her door and saw us."

"How, though? We didn't come down the stairs until after she was inside her apartment." Mike commented.

"Those steps squeaked pretty loud, Mike," Donnie explained, "It's quite possible she heard them if she didn't have her door closed, yet. Given the fact that it looked as if no one has lived on the fifth floor for a while, I'm sure she would consider any noise coming fromthere to be suspect." He looked back at the access door, "Getting in was pretty easy. Plus, the tenants living here would know that anything coming down those stairs would not belong there."

Raph pondered that thought for a moment, but then he looked over at his brothers, "Doesn't mattah if she suspects or not; she has t'sleep sometime. We'll go back to the lair and let Splintah know what we've found. Then, after a few hours, we'll return. By then, she should be asleep."

"Breaking and entering?" Donnie asked worriedly.

"To find Leo, you bet!" Raph seethed. "If he's in there, we're taking him. If not, we'll take the sword."

Raphael then went silent as he led his brothers back to the alleyway along the roof. They leaped effortlessly over the narrow byway, landing softly a top of the next series of apartment. The three turtles then turned right and headed north along the row of buildings. They stayed within the shadows as they quickly headed back towards their lair and to where their anxious father waited for them.

Along the way and as Donnietook notice of theappliance he had seen earlier,Raph hissed out, "Don, leave the microwave. We don't have time fer that."

"Hey, we can always use one more!" came his brother's whiney protest.

"You pick that contraption up and I'll be puttin' you down. Get mov'n." Raph growled out.

"Fine, fine…" Don grumbled as he moved away from the appliance. "But just wait until the one we've got blows a fuse, then' you'll be sorry."

"Keep naggin' at me and I'll blow fuse, then you'll be the one who's sorry."

"Hey, just chill, I can come back later for it." Don finally relented, "Sheesh, Leo's gone for a few hours and already you're bossing us around."

Raph smirked to himself, yet never slowed his pace. He and his two brothers resumed the rest of their way home in complete silence, yet their mind fully on retrieving their wayward brother.

**_COMMENTS_**_: Well, I'm still blown away by the response to this story. It all started out as a request from a friend and, quite honestly, I'm not certain where it will lead. Yeah, I know, that's a recipe for writer's block. I do have ideas, though, so don't worry. Either way, I'd like to thank **Pacphys, Kuroi Neko-kun, Lunar Ninja, Katana-Babe, Eagle20401,Pretender Fanatic, Mickis, Lioness-Goddess, Mystic Mewtew, Ramica, Ana the Romantic, Chibiroseangel, **and** NemesisMuse **for reading and for your reviews. I appreciate all readers and, of course, I delight in any review that any of you care to leave in the comment box. _

_As for the questions that some of you asked, I will explain – maybe - how Leo was injured. Also, I already had that squeaky stairway in mind regarding the guys, believe me! Raph has leadership abilities, he just prefers being an arse when Leo's around! LOL _

_As for how Beth will react when she finally meets the rest of the family? Hmm…give me another chapter and I might tell. Oh, and I'm not the least bit offended about one of you not being a Leo fan. Personally? I like Donnie the best. Raph is next, then Leo and Mike tie for third. Yet, it's so close between all four of them that I'm pretty easy when it comes to what TMNT focus a story is centered on. As long as it's interesting, I'm easy. _

_Thanks for reading. Be blessed. _


	5. Squeaks and Creaks

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: I only own the story…that's it, nada else. _

_HEY, guess what? Butterfly has been nominated for **Best Drama** for the **2004 Fan Fiction Competition**. I'm flabbergasted, I really am. Thanks, hugs, and kisses to whomever it was who sent it in. If you'd like to nominate your favorites, go to my Fan Fiction profile page. I have the link all set up for you. Ziptango is hosting again, this year. Be blessed._

**_As a side note, this chapter was revised as of March, 7, 2005. I have also split it in half, which will make Chapter 6 beginning where the TMNT's infiltrate Beth's apartment._**

**Chapter 5 – Squeaks and Creaks**

For the longest time, Beth stared at her door, her hand in a death grip around the doorknob. Her breathing was shallow and her forehead wore a light glaze of perspiration. She just knew, positively knew that someone was standing outside in the hallway, right in front of her apartment, no less.

Someone was there.

Yet, just as certain as she was of that fact, whoever that 'someone' was, suddenly left – and quickly, too.

Nevertheless, she stayed there facing her door, staring, and trembling.

Now, a torrent of questions flooded her mind. Why would anyone be coming down from the fifth level? It would have been impossible for people to move in without her noticing, not with how the wood floor creaked in the hallway. Certainly not with how the stairs sounded out whenever anyone used them. The weakened steps above the landing would have announced any new arrival.

Therefore, she would have known if renters had moved in.

Yet, maybe, while she was at the store, a prospective renter had been by to view one of the apartments up there? She knew that the superintendent was anxious to lease them, where it had been months since the last tenant had moved out.

That possibility helped Beth to calm down just a little, until the next thought came to mind.

Why at night and, if so, why did they stand in front of _her_ door?

Nevertheless, the more she thought about it, Beth was certain that whoever was standing just outside her apartment was not there to rent one. She was also sure that, when she had come home, she had been alone in the stairwell.

Certain of her assumptions, a sudden fear crept up her spine.

Maybe, whoever it was, had gained entry from the roof? She knew that the superintendent kept the access door unlocked. Consequently, on more than one occasion, Beth had visited the top of her apartment. It was where she could be outside without having to deal with people. Very few of her fellow renters went up there, so – for her – it was her safe-haven.

Just the same and as far as she was concerned, Beth knew that only people with criminal intent would come into her apartment in that way.

This alarmed her even more.

Still, out of all the rental units in the complex, why would they stand in front of hers?

This was quite unsettling to her.

Unfortunately, Beth had too many questions with answers that terrified her, answers that nearly made her sick to her stomach. One concern of grave consideration was that maybe HE had found out where she was living.

Even though the police assured her, years ago and after the trial, that she would never have to worry about her attacker again, she knew the law. Beth was well aware of how a convicted man might behave while incarcerated. It was quite common for many to attempt to prove their reformation, thereby earning an early release.

Yet, how many rapists, after serving their 'time', stalked their victims in retaliation for getting them locked up?

Too many, as far as Beth was concerned.

Still, after reliving the horror on the witness stand and in front of what seemed like the whole world, the police had convinced her that her assailant would never get out - and she believed them.

Yet, how sure could they really be, though?

Either way, the crime committed against her had been primal and ugly. When the courts discovered that she had not been his first victim, they had condemned him to life in prison. How could anyone that despicable change enough in order to earn a commuted sentence – and so soon, too?

She shook her head, daring not to believe such an atrocity could happen.

Nevertheless, the next concern had Beth looking over at her patient with a new worry.

Maybe – this one was not so unique.

Maybe - _he_ had friends.

Or enemies. Considering the condition she had found him in, it was highly possible that whoever attacked him had seen her with him. Maybe they saw Beth pick up the sword and then followed her back to her apartment. She easily recalled sensing someone behind her in the alley. Though at the time she convinced herself it was nothing, now she was certain that some had indeed followed her.

Looking back at her door once again and listening very carefully, she waited. She breathed very lightly, barely taking in air. She closed her eyes and focused. Pressing her ear harder against the wood, Beth tried to listen and to sense if 'they' were still in the hallway.

Yet, after what seemed like only a few minutes, she relaxed a little. The hallway was now quiet and no longer filled with a presence.

Once she was certain that whoever it was had gone, she turned her attention back to the creature on her couch and noticed that he was still asleep.

She looked up at the clock on her wall to see how long she had been gone. Even with retrieving the sword, she figured it had taken her roughly forty minutes to walk to the store, to do her shopping, and then return home.

However, as she stared at the clock, she shook her head in denial.

"That – can't be right, can it?" she murmured under her breath in disbelief.

Yet, the longer she stood there and looked at the time, the more convinced she became. Much to her surprise, she discovered not how long she had been gone but how long _she_ had been standing there with her ear pressed to her apartment door.

Two hours.

"Yet, wasn't it just a moment ago that I had sensed someone outside in the hallway?" she asked herself.

Shaking her head again, Beth realized that she had gone catatonic for a second time. If it weren't for the clock and its telltale hour hand, the stiffness in her body would have been the convincing factor. Fortunately, her attack was not as long as the last one, but as she looked at her groceries, she knew that the ice cream was ruined.

After engaging the other two locks on the door, she stretched her arms a little to release the tension in her shoulders. Then, sighing deeply, she went over to pick up her two grocery bags. Carrying them towards her darkened kitchen and as she came around the end of the breakfast bar, the floor beneath her feet groaned loudly in protest. She hesitated for only a moment, its familiar sound reminding her that it was not a threat. Many boards in her home sounded out like that and it was only her recent experience with whoever was out in her hallway that had given her pause. Still, she had to swallowing back a bit of trepidation to calm her nerves.

Finally, after a moment, she continued into the kitchen and flipped on the light. Sitting the bags down on the kitchen table, she now went about the business of putting her groceries away.

As Beth reached into the first paper sack, she discovered the ice cream.

_"Well, at least it kept the chicken and hamburger cold,"_ she lamented sourly to herself.

Retrieving the oozing container of melting confection, she tossed it unceremoniously into the sink. However, she was thankful for one thing. At least the clerk had placed it into a separate and smaller plastic bag. For that, she was glad, since it protected the rest of the groceries underneath from the once-frozen, now liquid treat.

Next, Beth proceeded to remove the remaining items, which consisted of packages of meat and a few canned goods. The cans she place on her kitchen table, while she stored the chicken and two pounds of hamburger into the freezer section of her refrigerator.

With that sack now empty, she worked on the second one and its contents. However, upon seeing the flattened state of her bread, she groaned. It was as flat as she feared it would be. Just the same, she decided to keep it, muttering, _"Maybe it'll fluff back?" _Yet, looking at its now-compressed condition, she realized the obvious, _"Or not."_

Just the same, she refused to throw it out, lobbing it onto the counter before reaching back into the bag again. The vegetables and fruit were next and, so, Beth went ahead and filled her refrigerator bin with the produce that she had purchased. However, she put the small bunch of bananas on her table.

Then, taking up the half-dozen cans, she walked them over to the breakfast bar to put them away in the cabinet underneath. As she stepped up to it, she heard the floor groan beneath her left foot. Feeling the subtle rise in the wood where it warped, she smiled thinly, "_Pre-war brownstones with all the bells and whistles, plus the squeaks to match. What would I do with out ya?" _

Although she would admit to loving the long-lived apartments, what had happened earlier outside her front door had made her a bit edgy. Reminded of the incident, she gulped back a nervous shudder and took in a deep breath to steady her resolve. Her main concern, now, was for the creature in the other room and not her paranoia.

Consequently, she tried to ignore the noisy floorboard to focus on her immediate task.

When she finished putting the canned goods away, she flipped her kitchen light off and returned to the small living room. As she made the turn around the breakfast bar, she found the rise in her floor again. This time, she ignored the loud, protesting squeak and continued into the room.

With the table lamp casting a soft glow over the area, Beth stood opposite from the turtle-like man and looked over at him on her couch.

He still hadn't moved. Now, she was more worried than before.

_"What if he's in a coma?"_ she wondered in concern.

This thought frightened her.

If that were true, then Beth knew that his life lay in the balance. If he had enough blunt-force-trauma to his head, his brain might have swollen, thereby putting pressure on areas that controlled things, such as mobility or even breathing.

Fortunately, by her observation, she did see his chest rise and fall. As she focused her hearing, she could denote a soft exhalation of breath from him. At the very least, she knew that he was not going to asphyxiate, not yet, anyway.

Slowly and carefully, the girl approached the creature on the couch, mindful of the strength that he possessed. The fact that he had climbed the stairs with her earlier, despite his injuries, told her as much. She was certain that, had he been human, she might never have made the second set of stairs with him. For that, she was grateful.

Then, allowing herself the privilege, she visually inspected him.

She quickly noted his well-muscled arms and legs.

_"Has to work out or something," _she mused silently to herself. As far as she was concerned, the creature's unique physique seemed to be a contradiction in terms, considering his obvious reptilian heritage.

Walking over to the end of the sofa where his head lay, Beth watched him a moment longer. Then, without thinking, she sat down on the floor next to him. Shrugging her cape off and tossing it to one side, she reached out with her left hand to caress the creature's brow.

It was bony and hard, yet felt cool to her touch. Where it was obvious he was of a cold-blooded species, that part made sense to her.

As she allowed her fingers to trail down his face and onto his shoulders, she discovered that, even though his skin texture was like a lizard's, it was uncharacteristically soft.

Considering what he was, this surprised Beth.

_"Well, he's certainly is an enigma!" _she mused silently to herself.

As she assessed him further, the girl decided that his green coloring was grayer in tone and variegated in hue. Rather than having one solid color, it had several shades of green, depending on location. She noticed a brownish tint along the under sides of his arms and where his chest plate met his collarbone. A subtle mottling pattern covered his skin, as well, almost giving him a freckled appearance.

She thought it rather odd, but then the creature was already strange.

Beth then noted the color of his chest again. She determined that it was a lighter, more yellowish hue, but primarily a tan and not as rough looking as his skin. She explored his chest with her fingers and felt around the plates that ran down the front. It was probably the reason why he had the flexibility to move around as well as he did.

_"More than likely, they're not as rigid as it would be with normal turtles," _she thought to herself.

She laid her hand flat against it, where she thought his heart would be. She smiled when she felt the soft, gentle beat underneath, although it was not as pronounced as hers would be. More than likely, she thought, his thick plastron aided in diminishing such sensations. Analyzing it, she determined that the bony material probably helped to protect him better, as well.

Pulling her hand away from his chest, she fingered the outer edges of his shell. It was somewhat obscured with the way he was laying against the back of the sofa. Yet Beth could see enough of it to where she could readily describe it to herself. She saw that the carapace had multi colors of browns, greens, and a smattering of oranges that made it seem quite beautiful. She still wondered about the apparent cuts and chipped areas on his shell, curious as to how he had come by them.

Nevertheless, his blue mask was a complete mystery altogether.

_"Why would he even need it_?" she wondered, _"Unless - it's to identify himself from - others?"_

That thought brought her back to her previous concern.

Maybe there were more creatures like him?

Shaking her head to dispel such fears, she caressed his brow as she studied him. Watching the rise and fall of his chest, the gentle way in which he breathed, she became lost in thought. As she wondered about this creature, this obvious mutant of a turtle, she felt pity for him. Beth wondered if he had a name and if so, who named him. If there were others like this one, maybe they were missing him. Was he the oldest of his family or maybe the youngest? Maybe he had a parent and that parent was now looking for him.

She then had a horrific thought that, considering his size and if he were indeed a child, then how much bigger would be his father or mother?

Before she could even continue with that thought, though, she saw him stir, one leg jerking, as if kicking out at something.

Then, the creature became still once more.

Dismissing the uncertainty of his having parents; Beth recalled that when he had talked to her, how kind he sounded, despite the pain he was obviously feeling. She remembered how his voice was somewhat baritone in quality, speaking words that were precise and intelligent. _"No,"_ she thought, _"I don't think he's a child, not with such a mature-sounding voice."_ Yet, she couldn't help but shake her head at the irony, watching this bizarre person lying along her couch.

It truly amazed her to think that such a creature as this would have the gift of speech.

Finally, despite her hunger and her earlier apprehensions, Beth's eyelids slowly began to close. Maybe it was from the stress of helping to bring this 'turtle-man' up to her apartment, or the trip to the grocers and with hauling the sword around. Whatever it was, Beth felt the ever-increasing need to nap, the pull for sleep overwhelming her.

Soon, she began to doze off, her hand finding rest along the creature's brow as she closed her eyes.

Her head was now lying against the armrest of the couch, only inches from his, with her breathing becoming, likewise, rhythmic and soft.

After a while and as she slipped deeper into her sleep, Beth's kitchen window slowly eased its way open. A gentle sound of wood rubbing against wood whispered softly from her kitchen, but it did little to disturb the girl's deep slumber.

In deed, had she awakened right then, every tenant in her apartment might have heard her scream.

**_Comments_**_: Yeah, I had a good time writing this one. Too fast with the update, but – hey – when on a roll, roll…_


	6. Confusion

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: It took a while to get chapter 6 written. I hope that it will segue quickly into chapter 7, 8, 9, and however many more chapters this story has in it. However - WOOT! **Butterfly** won for **Best Drama** for the **2004 Fan Fiction Competition**! Well, gee, I'm greatly overwhelmed; I really am, despite my enthusiasm. Thankies to those who nominated it and to all who voted. I think the selection of stories that competed against each other were awesome and I wish we had all tied, I really do:0) Either way and regardless of awards, I still don't own the TMNT's, other than this story, and can only claim the inspiration that wrote it. _

**_As of March 8, 2005, this chapter has been revised_**

**Chapter 6 – Boo!**

Three dark figures gracefully leaped high across the alley. Landing silently on the other side, they raced across the roof of the brownstone with the precision of an assault team. Finding the access door still unlocked, the trio of shadows quickly stole themselves inside and down into the apartment building.

No one saw them enter.

No one heard them when they compromised apartment Five-o-Two.

They knew from their first visit that the hallway for the fifth level was identical to the fourth floor. Consequently, the turtles determined that the room arrangement for the apartments would be the same for each floor as well.

At least, that's what they had hoped.

Once they made entry into the empty rental unit, they quickly determined the proximity of all the rooms.

Upon inspection, they had happily discovered that the bathroom lay between the bedroom and the kitchen. It allowed a decent five feet of walled space between their target room and the one they believed the girl to be sleeping in.

"Well, if we enter through her kitchen, the bathroom should do well as a buffer." Don said, with his voice a bare whisper.

Nodding his head, Raph said with equal volume, "That is, if she's in bed." He looked around the empty living room, taking in every detail and ascertaining what escape routes would be to their advantage. "Othah than her front door and the rear windahs, if she does discover us, we're gonna have ta move fast!"

Mike shrugged, "Well, all's not lost, bros," and pulled out an item from his small equipment bag. Grinning, he remarked as he held the item up for them to see, "In case she wakes or is already awake."

"Good think'n, Mikey!" Raph smirked and then looked at the floor, as if trying to see through the wood to the apartment below them. "I can feel that she's asleep." He looked at his brothers to see if they sensed the same thing. Don nodded and Mike shrugged a bit before giving the same gesture.

"Then, let's do it!" Raph hissed.

With that, the three brothers made haste out the front door of Five-o-Two, taking care to lock it, and then swiftly climbed back up the stairs to the roof again.

Theirs was a simple plan. Where the woman had their brother's katana, they would compromise the kitchen window of the apartment below and then slip inside. If Leo was there, they would take him, too. Raph was quite confident of success. After all, it was a basic, almost elementary plan of infiltration and retrieval.

Even so, there was always that margin of error they occasionally ran into.

At least they had Mikey's tranquilizer darts, just in case things went awry.

It took twenty minutes before Raphael finally succeeded in opening the window, though. It had taken less than thirty seconds for him to work his way down the back of the brownstone to get into position, only to discover that the window was stuck tight. Using his sai, he had to work for almost twenty minutes before the swollen wood eased away from the casing. During that time, not a sound did he or the window make.

He'd had enough of creaky floors and stairs. No way in shell was he going to let something like a window un-do him.

Just the same, the job was taking longer than expected. Despite the chill in the air, beads of sweat already lined the top of his brow, his mask sopping up the moisture as he toiled. He was currently grumbling to himself about arrogant brothers and worrisome fathers, hoping, with all his might, that their retrieval of Leo's sword would yield his sibling, as well.

His remaining two brothers waited along the top of the roof, watching him as he worked.

"Have to admire him, bro!" Mike whispered to Donnie, "hanging onto the sill for that long!" He watched as Raphael gripped the window edging with his climbing claws, "Thought for sure he'd call for back-up by now."

Donnie smiled and said, "Not Raph. You know he'd never quit, not when he has an audience. The amazing part, though, is that the window is still intact! I half expected him to just bust through it when it refused to open the first time!"

Mike nodded in agreement and then the two continued watching their brother, who toiled two windows below them.

With his feet braced against the brick wall, Raphael silently pushed up the lower section of the double-hung window. He was still impatient and would be quick to defend that part of who he was. However, he was also keenly aware of his clan's precarious existence. The last thing he would want was for the woman to scream out, thereby creating a building-wide panic about 'green monsters'. He knew that some brownstone communities incorporated the Neighborhood Watch program, all manifested by the rise in crime of recent years. Since he didn't know how quick her fellow tenants would react if she did yell out for help, Raph was taking extra precautions to work as silently as possible.

Quickly hooking an arm to the inside of the window, Raph looked back up, jerking his head towards the opening and showing his brothers that the way was now clear.

"Too bad this unit didn't come with fire escapes." Don remarked, "If we have to leave in a hurry, it's going to be tough."

"That's why we brought the darts, oh brother of mine!" Mike smiled as he patted his side pouch.

"Well, we better get scaling. Raph won't be happy if we take too long." Don cautioned as he swung a leg over the side of the building.

Quickly, he and Mike eased over the ledge of the apartment roof. Using their climbing claws, they efficiently worked themselves down the roughened brick wall. A cool breeze caressed them as they made their way, the chill of winter-past still evident on its breath.

Mike shivered a bit, remarking, "Hope this doesn't get complicated."

Don glanced up at the darkened sky, noting the heavy cloud-cover that now obscured the stars and quarter moon, "Yeah, I think we might be in for some rain tonight. But it wouldn't be good to be out in it, that's for sure."

Soon, they reached the newly opened window, with Don leading the way inside. Mike hung back as lookout. Once his brother had slipped into the apartment successfully, Mike did likewise, leaving the window open.

When his two brothers had joined him in the darkened kitchen, Raphael quickly, yet quietly, eased over to the breakfast bar. He was careful, though, remembering hours earlier how warped the floor was in the hallway. Considering its age, it was a given that there might be more of them in the apartment. As he felt a sudden rise in the wood under his right foot, he hesitated with his step. Toeing it and testing its integrity, he narrowed his expression. Cautiously and slowly, he stepped over that point in the floor and then tested the area just beyond it. As Raph gently applied his weight, he did so with trepidation. When the wood did not sound out a complaint, he breathed a sigh of relief. He then looked back at his siblings and pointed downwards, indicating to them that they should avoid that particular spot in the floor.

Without a word, Don and Mike joined up with their older sibling, avoiding the squeaky floorboard. Now, all three crouched in a squat as they hid behind the breakfast bar. Raph slowly raised his head above the counter to check out the softly lit room beyond. However, just as quickly, he ducked back into the shadow-rich kitchen and down behind the barrier.

"Leo's in there," he mouthed, his eyes wide with surprise, "With her – asleep!"

Wiggling his eye ridges, Mike quirked a grin as he quietly asked, "Together?"

"No, dimwit," Raph grouched softly, glaring at his brother, "She's on the floor, he's on the couch."

"Now what?" Don asked in a bare whisper.

Raph shook his head as if this sudden turn of events was outside his plan of attack. Considering the hour, he had expected the woman to be in her bedroom. As he thought, he worked the inside of his cheek a little. Finally, he whispered low, "We dart her. Then, we take Leo and the sword, and then we get out - no trace!" He turned to Mike, "You have the darts ready?" In answer, his brother procured one from his side pouch. "Good. Make sure you get her before she wakes!"

Mike nodded and, while still in a squat position, eased over in front of Raph. Then, as he stood to walk nimbly around the end of the breakfast bar, readying the dart as he did, Mike made himself completely visible to anyone in the living room.

Fortunately, the girl, along with his brother, was still asleep.

However, just as unfortunately and as Mike stepped into full view, the floor beneath his left foot resounded with a loud and nerve-wracking creak.

Mike's eyes went wide. He snapped his head around, for the moment looking away from the girl on the couch and over to where his brothers were hiding. He heard Raph exclaim a muffled "Damn".

However, the next event nearly stopped Mike's heart. As the orange-masked turtle whipped his head back towards the living room, he quickly saw that the woman was already awake. She was staring at him now, her own eyes just as wide and alarmed as his. Now, it seemed as if everything was moving in slow motion, but in reality, things were developing all too fast for the poor turtle.

The moment the girl realized what he was, she quickly stood up.

Then, startling him even more, she reached down and picked up Leo's katana. As she attempted to lift the weapon, she tried to scream – only, nothing would come out. She just stood there, with a partially raised sword and her mouth working around words that Mike could not hear or discern.

The turtle quickly tried to hide his dart, pulling his arm around behind him. He grinned at her a bit, but then he saw her look towards the kitchen.

In that moment, he knew that Raph had decided on a more direct approach to their problem.

He, along with Don, stood up and now they were as visible as Mike was.

However, in the next moment, the girl's face suddenly paled. She seemed to wobble just a bit. Then, her eyes rolled up and back into her head as her balance became more unsteady.

Mike knew right then, that the girl was going to pass out.

Moments before, Beth had felt the temperature change in the room. It invaded her dream like a breath of cool mountain air. She could not remember exactly what it was that she was dreaming about at the time. Yet, she seemed to enjoy the change, allowing it, unconcerned, into her subconscious state.

However, the next sensory-trigger alerted her to danger. Maybe she was dreaming about what happened earlier at her front door. Maybe she had been dreaming about _him_. She really could not tell, because, whatever it was, didn't really matter anymore.

Because, the moment she heard a creak, the moment she recognized, in her sleeping state, where it had come from, she became fully awake.

The instant her eyes opened, she saw him. It wasn't the creature from her sofa, because she could tell he was still there on the couch. However, with exception to the mask – which was orange - this one standing across the way looked just like the one asleep next to her. What was worse, he was just inside the living room and by the breakfast bar.

Initially, the turtle had looked away from her, seeming to making eye contact with something else, something that was currently in her kitchen.

"Are there more like him in there?" Beth asked herself as she began to feel a rising panic in her chest.

Then, the creature turned back around, somewhat surprised to see that she was staring at him.

Before she knew what she was doing, however, Beth scrambled to a stand. She was unsure exactly what this new creature was going to do, but she knew that she might be in trouble. Quickly reaching down and picking the sword up from the floor, she tried to hold it outwards in defense. Considering she probably had a member of his family in her possession, it was clear that this new turtle had somehow broken into her apartment in order to retrieve the one on the sofa.

What he was planning on doing after that, she didn't know, and she didn't want to find out either.

Just the same, she tried to scream, simply out of reflex, but she found her voice strangled back by her panic. Her fear was now working its way around her throat, like a vice, and had efficiently made her mute. She felt that if her throat constricted any tighter, it would cut off her oxygen supply, as well.

As Beth looked at the creature, she noticed what he held in his hand - and her heart nearly stopped. She suddenly realized that he had been preparing to inject her with something. However, he quickly pulled his hand behind him to hide the needle-like object, almost grinning at her, as if he was caught doing something wrong.

For just a moment, Beth thought his behavior quite odd, if not amusing.

Out of desperation, she begged with silent pleas, her lips moving but not a sound coming forth, "D-don't hurt me, I t-tried to help - him, honest I did."

Beth was hoping that the one in orange had a similar amount of intelligence as the one in blue, who lay unconscious on her couch. She hoped he would figure out what she was trying to say. Unfortunately, it seemed as if he was just as confused as she was frightened.

Illuminated by the small lamp on the table across from her, she could easily see what he looked like. He appeared very much like the one on her couch, only a bit shorter and wearing a different colored mask. In fact, the orange mask only confirmed one thing for her.

_"Definitely determines who they are!"_ she thought frantically.

Then, she wondered how he had managed to get into her apartment in the first place, when she had three deadbolts in her door to prevent such uninvited entries.

That was when she felt a cooling breeze caress her face.

Looking towards the kitchen again, she saw her window – and it was wide open. How he was able to get to her window, much less open it amazed her.

It also terrified her.

Suddenly, as if having two reptilian creatures in her apartment was not enough, two more stood up from behind the breakfast bar. Both were taller than Mr. Orange was, and they – too – wore different colored masks, purple and red in fact.

That was when Beth decided she had had enough. All blood drained from her face as she felt that familiar buzzing sound in her head, before finally passing out in a heap.

Unfortunately, for her, when she fell, she fell against the hilt of the sword. As the tip of the blade caught into groove in the floor, it forced the sharper edge of the hilt into her side, piercing her skin.

In that moment, the resulting flow of blood changed all of Raphael's plans.

Seeing her fall and, now, injured, Mikey rushed to Beth's aid. As he did, Donatello quickly went around the breakfast bar and over to Leo, to assess his injuries as well.

While they tended to their brother and the girl, Raph could only grump to himself. He, then, muttered between clenched teeth and for the second time that evening, "Damn!"

**_COMMENTS_**_: Well, there were so many that wrote in and left their two-cents worth, that I am forced to list only their names. So, before I do, I want to thank those who were kind enough to point out aspects of certain character traits that they felt I overlooked. Yet, I want to say, since it hasn't been stated yet, that in this particular story, the TMNT's are older. They're not the impetuous teens the cartoons depict them as. Therefore, they've grown up a bit. I've always enjoyed wondering what they'd be like in that way._

_So, I kindly ask for patience and to allow them some room to mature and to be better than they were. Isn't that what we all hope for ourselves? _

_With that said and in no particular order, I want to thank all those who left reviews – **READERRR GRRRL; PACPHYS; RAMICA; KATANA-BABE; GEAKR; CHIBII C.A.S.; MIDNIGHT HEIR; FAERIE-KITTIE306 ANIMELOVER; CHIBIROSEANGEL; DRAGON SHADOWS; BETH HART; NEMESISMUSE; HAZLOV2004; PRETENDER FANATIC; MICKIS; KUROI NEKO-KUN; MYSTIC MEWTWO; CURIOUS FAN; LUNAR-NINJA! **_

_Wow, that's 19 reviews. _Picks self off of floor after falling out of chair_ I'm blown away. The upside about that is, I'm encouraged to continue this story. The downside is, it might be trash from here on out – or not. Yet, that's always my greatest concern, writing well enough to please the masses. So, I hope this chapter does the job. If not, there's always chapter 7 which can make up for it:0) Oh, and I'm not fishing for compliments, either. I want honest appraisals, I really do. _

_Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. May y'all be blessed._


	7. Familiar Stranger

**DISCLAIMER:** As it is and always will be, other than reviews (which are wonderful!), I get diddly from this story. Thanks for stopping in and, if you care to, leave your calling card.

Okay, this does not have the same content as the original upload of Chapter 7. As I sometimes do, I revised all the chapters, finding better (I hope) ways of writing things and added here and there. In keeping these chapters to manageable lengths, I had to split some of them in half, shifting the new half down, which shifted everything over and into a separate chapter – which explains why this one opens where it does. So, Chapter 8 will deal with what was Chapter 7, meaning that Chapter 9 will be completely new.

Understand? No? Oh well, just read and be surprised. :0) And leave your 'calling card' at the door.

Be blessed.

**Chapter 7 – Familiar Stranger.**

Beth had the strangest sensation that someone was carrying her and, stranger still, seemed to be running at the same time. It seemed as if whoever that someone was, had also sprouted wings,because every so often she felt as if she was flying.

It was the weirdest feeling.

She wanted to open her eyes, but the pull of sleep seemed to grow strongerwith each passing second. What was more bizarre was that Beth could not remember why she was sleepy.

She just was.

As her mind became more and more muddled, the idea of even caring about what was going on seemed frivolous. She did notice a subtle pain in her side that, at first, felt rather intense. However, as the need to fall into blissful slumber weighed upon her, the pain seemed to subside quickly.

Overall, though, she was convinced that she was dreaming, how else could she explain herself flying through the air? Just the same, she did feel a bit of alarm. If she could have, she would have opened her eyes, just to verify that she was dreaming. However, the need for sleep became stronger moment by moment than her discomfort and concern. Even though she did remember feeling quite anxious and worried only a while ago, whatever had made her sleepy dulled those concerns considerably.

Then, every so often, she would hear someone speak. But it wasn't a voice that she recognized. Therefore, it kept her just a little more focused than she wanted to be. She wanted to sleep, but the voice kept annoying her. It had a muffled quality to it, as if the person speaking was doing so underwater.

_"Wish they'd quit mumbling,"_ she thought to herself. Then, again, maybe her hearing was just as compromised as her now-subdued fear.

Yet, the need to sleep was becoming more overwhelming than the irritating voice, its pull too strong for her to fight.

However, in the moment just before Beth finally gave in and slipped within the comforting embrace of dreams, she heard someone say, and for the first time quite clearly, "Gad, Raph, she sure didn't look this heavy!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Master Splinter, we're back – and we found Leo!" Donnie announced eagerly.

Holding onto Leo's feet and slowly clambering down the ladder, Don helped Raph as they lowered their injured and still unconscious brother through the lair's opening. Leo's current physical state worried Don a great deal, considering his brother was unconscious and they were unable to rouse him.

Early on and when it became obvious that Leonardo was too heavy for one of them to carry, Raphael and Donatello both had to do the job. In the end, it took them longer to get home. With Leo supported between them and weighing them down, they were unable to leap across the narrow streets between buildings. Consequently, Raph and Don had to descend to ground level, keeping to the shadows while they traversed the mostly deserted byways to get back home.

Mike went on above, running along the rooftops and, when he had to, leapeing between buildings. He would then wait for his brothers to catch up with him, as he shouldered the woman in his arms.

Much to his dismay and mild complaining, he had the job of carrying the injured girl.

While still in her apartment and after checking her injury, Donnie discovered they couldn't leave her behind, considering how much she bled. That was when Raph made the decision to bring her back to the lair, if only to treat and dress her wounds.

"Then, we keep her knocked out until we get her back to the apartment. I'm not puttin' up with any overnighters." he had growled.

Just the same, they had to make sure that she wouldn't wake up. As a result, Don used one of Mike's darts to render her unconscious. Their plan was to keep her sedated long enough while she was in their care and then return her to the apartment as Raph had ordered, along with a note that vaguely explained her condition. Their hope was that they would return her later on that early morning and that she would remain unconscious until then.

It was either that, or risk having her landlord wonder about her absence. Not knowing if the woman had any friends, it wouldn't be prudent to keep her too long away from her apartment.

Now, where they were home, they could give Leo the help he needed and treat the woman's injuries, as well.

With Don's announcement of their arrival, Master Splinter hobbled out of his car. As all of them came into the lair, the moment he saw his injured son, the rat's ears went flat in concern. His whiskers twitched anxiously as he surveyed the scene before him. With his cane tapping hurriedly along the concrete floor of the lair and in time with his steps, he made his way over to where his sons had laid Leonardo down on their tattered couch. Then, his attention riveted to the unconscious girl in Mike's arms. "I see we have a guest, too?" the rat calmly stated.

"Yeah, and she's injured," Raphael announced grumpily, "We didn't have much of a choice, Sensei, since she might have bled to death."

For the moment, Splinter accepted his son's explanation. Then, he directed, "Put her in my room, Michelangelo," Noticing the blood along her side, he added, "Donatello may dress her wound in there."

While Mike took the woman into his master's car, Splinter went over to his oldest son, who lay unconscious upon the couch. He knelt down to apply a bony hand upon Leo's brow. Then Splinter closed his eyes. His breathing slowed just a little as he concentrated and, drawing his hand off Leo's forehead, he said, "Your brother is in a coma, though I sense it will not be for long." As he visually checked Leonardo's physical state, he noticed the attempted dressing of his wounds. They weren't the usual wrapping that the rat had come to recognize. Splinter then asked as he looked over at his purple-masked son, "Did you do this, Donatello?"

"No, Sensei, we believe the woman did. We found Leonardo in her apartment already bandaged." Don replied. He stood behind the couch with Raph, as their father assessed their unconscious brother's condition.

Noticing that a few of the bandages had slipped from some of the wounds, revealing the cuts underneath, Splinter remarked in subtle alarm, "These were made by a sword. I suspect Leonardo met up with some of the Foot." Then, he looked up at his sons, "_She_ must know how he came to be this way? Is that why she is injured?" the rat asked as he looked up at Don and Raph. "Were you defending him from her?"

Mike soon piped upwhen he heard his father's question, "No, she panicked, Master." He came around behind the couch to join his two brothers and explained, "She had been asleep next to the couch where Leo was. I sort of woke her up when the floor creaked. She grabbed Leo's sword and then tried to say something to me, I think she was attempting to tell me she tried to help him. But, when she saw Raph and Don stand up, she passed out and fell on the katana's hilt."

Looking over at his youngest son, Splinter asked, "Why did she have Leonardo's katana, Michelangelo?"

Don replied this time, "She found it in the alley by her apartment. We were looking for him and were standing on the roof when we saw her take it. Raph followed her to find out where she lived. Because she had his sword, we all decided she must know where Leo was."

Raphael then interrupted, "We had to go inside the building, Sensei, to find out which apartment she lived in."

"Were you seen?" the rat asked, his expression serious as he studied each of his sons.

All three brothers shook their heads and said at the same time, "No."

Pleased, Splinter nodded and then stated, "Good. Now, it is obvious that this woman knows of your existence, where she has tried to take care of your brother and has seen the three of you…"

Mike suddenly grinned and said as he interrupted his father, "Ah, but, Sensei, I sedated her, so if we keep her that way until we get her wound dressed, we can return her to her apartment before she wakes up!"

Splinter looked up at his son. His whiskers twitched in contemplation and his tail snaked the ground behind him as he thought about what Michelangelo said. Then, looking back at his sub car bedroom, where the woman lay sleeping, the rat replied, "It would depend upon her wound, Michelangelo, and how long she has to stay here. It would not be fair to keep her in such a state indefinitely."

"But, we have to, Sensei; we can't afford to let 'er know 'bout us, where we live," Raphchallenged, "Evah since April was killed and Casey disappeared, we decided not t'befriend humans anymore, remembah."

Narrowing his eyes, Splinter glared over at Raphael, "I may be on in years, my son, but my memory still serves me well. I remember our agreement, but we are still at an impasse. This woman should not suffer where it is apparent she tried to help your fallen brother." Hearing Raphael's angry intake of air in protest, Splinter's tail slapped the ground as he said, "IF a friend she becomes, Raphael, then it is a friend that we need. We will NOT keep her sedated any longer than necessary." With that, the rat turned to Donatello, "Now, go get the necessary supplies and treat our guest of her wound. Keep her sedated until you are done. After that, I believe that Michelangelo should watch her." The rat turned to his youngest, "If she wakes, then you should the one she sees first."

As Don left to go and collect the first aid supplies, Mike was clearly not at all happy with his father's choice. He then looked at Splinter and asked, "Why ME?"

"Because," Master Splinter explained, "You are the reason why she woke up; therefore you should be the one to greet her when she wakes up again. At this point in her relationship with us, you will be a familiar face to her."

Mike sighed and shook his head, muttering under his breath, "I would think carrying her home should have been enough punishment."

Ignoring Michelangelo's complaint, however, Splinter then focused his attention on his oldest son.

Just then, Leonardo began moaning, stirring restlessly upon the couch. It was clear that he was beginning to come out of his coma. As the ninja master assessed his son's wounds, he noted the careful application of wrappings. While Donatello slipped into the car to dress their guest's injuries, Splinter commented to Raphael and Mike as they stood there and waited, "It is obvious that this woman took great care in helping your brother. Is it possible that where you saw her take Leonardo's katana, that it is there where she found him?"

Shrugging, Raphael replied, "Don't know. We only saw her pick up th'sword. But I guess she could've."

Nodding his head, Splinter then theorized, "It would be impossible for her to carry him, where it took the two of you to do so. It is possible that he was conscious when she found him; that is if she was the one who found him in the first place."

"What are you saying, Sensei?" Mike asked as he looked worriedly over at his father.

"What I am trying to say, Michelangelo, is this. She might not be the only one who knows about Leonardo. She might have had help getting him to her apartment. If this is true, then that 'someone' might be looking for her this very moment."

"That would mean…" Raph began to say, but Mike interrupted him.

"That the police could get involved."

"Yes." Splinter said sadly and then stated, "Which means taking her back to her apartment will be difficult. We may be forced to keep her until we can be certain she did not have assistance."

As the three thought about their situation, Leo began to stir even more, his eyes moving under their lids and occasionally opening up. Splinter called softly, "Leonardo, my son, you are home." He waited and noticed that the turtle in blue was becoming more awake as the seconds ticked by. "Leonardo, please try to wake up, if you can," his father encouraged calmly.

"Yeah, bro, we have some questions for ya!" Raph called out eagerly. Looking over at the car where the woman lay, he commented worriedly, "For example, is that girl married or does she have a boy friend?"

"Why d'ya wanna know that for, Raph? You interested in her?" Mike joked as he laughed.

Glaring over at his youngest brother, Raphael grouched, "No, ya moron, Leo might be able to tell us if she was working alone or if she had company."

"Well, she's not married, if that's what you think." Don declared as he came back out of Splinter's car. "She doesn't have the ring to prove it and, by the way she keeps herself, I don't think she's even interested." He shook his head and said, "Mike, I have to hand it you, you have a stronger constitution than I do."

"Why is that?" he asked.

"Well," Don replied as he quirked his eye ridges, "I don't think she's taken a bath in a while, for one thing. From what I can see, she almost appearshomeless, only we all know she isn't, if that apartment was hers. Still, whatever reason she has for not taking care of herself, I'll bet there's a psychosis or neurosis to explain it. That's usually why people don't keep themselves up." Then, as a side-note, he added, "Plus, there's some deep scarring along her stomach, as if she had an encounter with a knife."

"Do you think she was a victim of a violent crime?" Splinter asked in concern as he looked up from watching Leo.

"Well, unless she had a botched surgery, that's my guess." Don replied as he headed over towards the kitchen. "I've cleaned and dressed her wound, so right now she's resting. Hasn't woken up, yet, but I don't think she'll be out for long." He turned the faucet on and, after washing his hands, he shut it off and then dried his hands on a nearby towel. "So, Mike, your turn!" Don said with a smirk as he came out of the kitchen area.

Mike reluctantly headed to his master's car as Donatello went over to where his father was kneeling, "If she _is_ a victim of a past crime, then there's a good bet she'll have some residual emotional affects from it. That scarring was too random, too violent looking to be a surgery, botched or otherwise. My guess is and based on her physical condition, she might be suffering from PTSD."

"PTSD? What the…" Raph asked, completely confused. "Is that a sexually transmitted disease and how would you even know she has that?" he smirked.

"No, PTSD is NOT a disease, Raph," Donnie said in exasperation, "It's short for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It's the residual affects of what people go through after they've experienced extreme trauma. Veterans of war go through it, people who have survived accidents, natural disasters, or abuse can suffer from it, and those who have experienced a violent crime can have PTSD. There are many side-affects and one is that the person doesn't take care of themselves. Sometimes they become a recluse." Donatello took a breath and then asked, "Did you notice that her apartment was barren of any decorations? Just a clock on the wall, no pillows, no pictures, no flowers, nothing to suggest that a woman lives there. Just her plain and simple furniture. Not even a throw rug."

"So, maybe she's a minimalist!" Raphael decided as he shrugged. He watched as Master Splinter stroked Leo's face,trying to get him to wake up. "Maybe she just doesn't like clutter." He looked back up at Donatello and grinned.

"No, I don't think so. Even April liked a few things in her apartment and you know how much she hated decorating." Don explained.

"Only because she lost most of her stuff in that fire at her father's thrift shop years ago." Raph murmured in a grump. "Okay, so, let's say yer correct and this gal is suffering from some after affect, this PSTD, or what have you. What's it got t'do with us?"

"It's PTSD and it has a lot to do with us, Raph. After she passed out, she injured herself on Leo's katana, which wasimmediatelyafter she saw Mike. She will probably combine her experience with that and whatever or whoever cut her up initially." He looked over at his father and brother as he concluded, "Which means as soon as she wakes up and sees Mike, she may go nuts on us, or worse."

"What can be worse than going nuts?" Raph shook his head, not looking forward toa nut-job woman in their midst.

"She might go catatonic." Don replied but explained before Raphael could say anything, "And that doesn't have anything to do with cats, so don't even go there!" With that, Don crouched down to see if he could help his father wake Leonardo.

Raph shuffled his feet as he looked beyond them to the train car where Mike was watching the woman. He then announced, "I'm goin' t'me room. Keep me posted on Leo, 'kay?" Then he left for his room, as Splinter and Don tended to his fallen brother.

Just then, however, Leonardo began to move a little more on the couch, moaning as if in pain.

Hearing his brother's maon, Raphael turned quickly back around and rushed over to the couch again. Seeing Leo open his eyes, Raph called out, "Hey, Leo, yer awake?"

Splinter smiled down at Leonardo and said softly, "You are home, my son. How are you feeling?"

Leonardo blinked a few times and looked around. His mind was slightly clouded and his vision blurry from having slept for so long. Yet, slowly his eyes began to focus, enabling him to see more clearly those who were either sitting or standing around him. Licking his lips, he studied each person carefully while squinting and scrunching his face. He seemed quite confused, as if trying to make sense of things.

He then looked back at the rat. Slowly, his eyes grew large and fearful.

Finally and much to everyone's surprise, he asked, his voice shaky and full of uncertainty, "Wh-who are you?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**_A/N:_**_ Wow, and I'm getting rather tired of 'wow, but – what can I say, it fits with all the reviews and reader count:0) Leo's amnesia, Beth's drugged situation, a worried family. Yeah, it's been quite a ride and I've only just begun with this story. I do not plan on writing a marathon, as some of my other musings grew into, yet we all know that can change in a heartbeat._

_Well, I guess we all know the drill by now. Considering the enormous reaction to this story, I am forced, once again, to list only by name rather than comment on those who left reviews. They are and in no particular order – **Pacphys, Lunar-Ninja, Readerrr Girrrl, Ramica, Kaliann, Mystic Mewtwo, Pretender Fanatic, Sassyblondexoxo, Mickis, Kuroi Neko-Kun, BubblyShell22, Gummadoon Fanatic, T, and Katana-Babe.**_

_Thanks so much for your attention to this story and your enthusiasm. As you all well know, it is the life-blood that keeps us writing and contributing to Fan Fiction._

_Thanks for reading and reviewing._

_Be blessed._


	8. Just Like Me

**_DISCLAIMER:_**_As many of you may know, __I have the tendency of going back over stories and chapters that have already posted. Sometimes I add a word here, a phrase there. Usually, it doesn't add too many words to my total and I can just re-load the 'new and improved' version without adding it as a completely new chapter. _

_Usually. _

_However, in the case of Butterfly, I have added so much to all of the chapters that it just pushed the number of words into an additional chapter. Therefore, Chapter 8 is not new, as far as content is concerned. It is as it was before when it first posted, with a few changes here and there. All reviews that were for Chapter 6 are now posted at the bottom of the new Chapter 7. As far as this chapter is concerned, read if you're curious, review if you feel led to, but please know and understand that I did this in an attempt to get back into the story and, thereby, to continue its telling. _

_As before, I only own the OC and the story itself. All other entities, whether real or imagined, are the property of other, more creative people._

_Enough said. Be blessed. _

**Chapter** **8**– **Just Like Me**

Splinter stared hard at his son. He stared at the eyes of his oldest as Leo, in turn, looked back. Yet, no matter how long Splinter look at, nor how hard the rat tried to connect mentally with him, it was perfectly clear that Leonardo did not recognize his family.

If anything, the expression of complete confusion and fear on his son's face told the rat as much.

As the master continued to study him, he noticed the bruising along Leo's skull. He quickly concluded that he must have suffered a concussion, which would explain why his son had been in a coma.

Still, amnesia was not something the master had expected. Yet, a**s **he gave it some consideration, Splinter realized that he shouldn't have been so surprised. Head injuries often had complicated side affects.

Memory loss was one of them.

After uttering his words of confusion, Leonardo startled and quickly tried to sit up. However, he found, much to his dismay again, the need to lie back down. It seemed, to him, that being able to sit in a vertical position was not going to happen any time soon.

Reaching one hand up to his head, he groaned as he lay back down upon the couch, "Oh, my head – it hurts so much. What's wrong with it?"

Alarmed with Leo's confusion and his headache, Donnie was quick to react. Hurrying into the kitchen, he procured a bottle of aspirin from a cupboard and then grabbed a glass from within another. Filling the glass with tap water from the faucet, he swiftly returned to the main part of the lair.

However, as he approached the couch with the pain reliever and glass of water, he noticed a subtle, yet alarming reaction, from his stricken brother.

To Leonardo, Don had moved quicker than he had expected him to move. With his memory compromised, he did not recognize the ninja technique Donatello used to speed the much-needed medication to him.

With his eyes growing wide in surprise, Leo tried to bury himself into the back cushions of the couch as this 'stranger' came rushing towards him.

"H-how'd you do _that_?" Leo asked loudly in surprise.

As he saw his brother's reaction, Don came to an abrupt halt, the sudden action forcing some of the water to splash out of the cup. The purple-banded turtle now stood there in front of Leonardo, a confused expression on his face as the cup in his hand dribbled water out onto the concrete floor.

Glancing over at his sensei, then at Raph and Mike, Don looked back down at Leo and asked, "What – do you mean, how'd I do that? Do what?"

Pointing to the kitchen with a shaky finger, Leo explained in obvious surprise, "M-move so quickly like that. It's almost as if you – just disappeared right in front of me. How'd you do that?"

Laughing sarcastically, Raph remarked, "What? Com'on Leo, you know we're…"

However, Splinter suddenly held up a paw to quiet him, while he said, "Maybe Donatello was just concerned, my son, for your welfare," He looked directly at Leo and in that way drew the turtle's gaze over to him. "He only wanted to get you the aspirin to relieve your headache as quickly as possible. You are injured and, as you stated, your head does hurt. It is likely you only _thought_ that Donatello disappeared."

Leo's eyes squinted as he looked up at the rat. He tried to decide what bothered him more, the strange creature that was speaking to him, or the quick movement of the other equally strange being who had the glass of water in his hand. He glanced up at those who stood behind the couch and noticed that they looked very much like the one the rat called Donatello. Finally, he chanced a question, his face contorted as if repulsed, "What - are you guys?" He looked over at Splinter and asked another question before the first one could be answered, "And where am I?"

Raphael and Mike looked at one another in surprise. It was becoming quite clear to them that their brother was suffering from amnesia. It seemed as if Leonardo now saw them in the same way as the human world did.

To him, they were nothing more than freaks.

As a result, Raph could not help but grumble, "Great, now even one of our own…"

Yet, with a stern look from Splinter, the red-masked turtle quelled whatever other comment he was going to make. Instead, he remained standing behind the couch in silence, his hands fisting and un-fisting in frustration.

Splinter turned his attention back to Leonardo, smiling patiently down at his son as he said, "We are – friends, my son and you are in our - home."

"Why – do you keep calling me your son?" Leo asked hesitantly. He chuckled under his breath a little, as if the very thought of being this creature's son was the most absurd idea. _"How ridiculous to even think that,"_ he mused silently.

"It is an expression that I often use with – guests," the rat explained carefully. "You have been injured and my sons have brought you to our home in order to take care of you."

Leo was now more confused than before. It was perfectly obvious to him the rat was not at all like the ones who were standing behind him. He looked back up and around to make sure of it. Once Leo was convinced of that fact, he returned to look at Splinter, "Why do you call them your sons when it's perfectly obvious you are not their father! Are they your guests, too?"

Splinter sighed and then explained, a hint of sadness in his voice, "No, they are not. Maybe once your headache is better, we can talk more about it." He then turned to Don, "Donatello, I believe that Leonardo is ready for the aspirin."

Anxious for some relief from his discomfort, yet a bit hesitantly, Leo slipped one arm underneath him and propped himself up. He then took the medication and the glass of water from Donatello's proffered hand. Looking at the pills and then up at the purple-masked turtle, he noticed a slight smile spread across Don's face. It was a warm, comforting smile and it seemed to bolster Leo's confidence.

Eager to rid himself of the headache, he then popped the aspirin into his mouth and washed it down with the glass of water. When he was done, Leo handed the glass back to Donatello, who quickly sat it down on the coffee table next to him.

As Leo slipped back down and into the seat cushions of the sofa, he let out a deep sigh. Everything was just so confusing to him. He looked over at the large rat and then up at the three turtles again, easily recognizing that they were not the garden-variety type. Yet, in some strange way, they seemed vaguely familiar to him.

Just the same, he decided to hold back from saying so until he was able to get a better understanding of his situation – and some relief from his headache.

Suddenly, like a delayed reaction, Leo's eyes slowly began to widen. Quickly, he brought his right arm back up, the one whose hand had just held the glass of water, and looked at it as if for the very first time. A gasp escaped his mouth. Holding it out in front of him, Leo studied the appendage with growing apprehension, turning it front to back as he inspected it. However, as he did, his eyes gradually widened even more. He looked back up at those who stood behind the couch and took note that, where they rested their hands along the top, they were exactly like his.

As he looked down at the rest of him and then glanced over at Donnie, one thing was becoming quite clear to Leo.

Despite his inability to recognize anyone and his initial reaction, those who he thought were freaks, were just like him!

A sudden fear gripped him and soon after, a strangled cry began to rise deep within his throat. As it gained volume and force, the others behind the couch stood back and away, uncertain what Leonardo was going to do.

Splinter, however, had seen the look of shocked horror on his son's face. Just with Leo's expression alone, the rat anticipated what was going to happen next. Then, as Leo began to scream, Splinter leaned in and gently took the stricken turtle's wrists. Holding them firmly as he slipped in beside his son, Master Splinter said softly, "Hush, now, my son. There is no need for alarm. Yes, Leonardo, you are just like them. I am sorry that this has worried you, but rest assured, you are safe and, in time, all will be well."

"H-how did – I – get – like – _THIS__!"_ Leonardo yelled, trying to pull out of the rat's grip in order to bolt up off the couch. However, he found the creature far stronger than he looked and in his weakened state, Leo was hardly a match.

One of the others like himself, who wore the orange mask, leaned over the back of the sofa and firmly pushed Leo down into the couch. "Hey, bro, easy…it's all right. You're fine, really!" Mike coaxed as he wrestled with his injured brother.

Splinter gently replied as he maintained his hold, "It is a long story and one that I will tell you about, but first, Leonardo, you must calm down."

Raphael, however, could only shake his head and grouch as he threw his hands up in frustration, "Oh, great, just great. Our Fearless Leader can't even remember what he is, which means if the Foot decide to get busy tonight…"

Having enough of him, Splinter snapped, "Raphael, you will go to your room and stay there until you understand that this was not of Leonardo's choosing."

Glaring once at his sensei, Raph snorted, "Well, if Leo hadn't had gone off by himself, Sensei, he wouldn't have been attacked!" and then snapped his mouth shut as he huffed off towards one of the subway cars.

As he stormed inside, he gripped the edge of the door and slid it shut behind him with an angry pull, nearly upending it off its track. It banged loudly as it closed, the noise reverberating throughout the lair. Then, it seemed that he had taken his anger out on whatever objects were in his room, as the sound thrashing came to everyone's ears. Finally, after a moment, they heard Raphael flop down into his bed, the creak of bedsprings audible enough for all to hear.

"Well, now that _that's_ over with." Mike deadpanned with a grin. However, he cringed when he saw his master's stern gaze. "I'll- ah – just go and – a - check on our guest," Mike then released Leo and hurried around the couch towards the subway car in which the girl was resting.

"Good, the fewer distractions Leonardo has, Michelangelo, the better." Splinter smiled thinly. He then looked over at his memory-impaired son.

By this time, the stricken turtle had calmed down. With all that was going on, between Raph's angry march to his bedroom and Mike's departure to Splinter's, Leonardo had been distracted from his shock. As he watched the progression of events, he thought it all rather strange.

Just the same, there was one thing that grabbed his attention. In all that was said, with all that happened, everyone seemed to be referring to him as Leonardo, or Leo, or Fearless Leader - if what the angry turtle said was true.

_"Am I a leader?"_ he asked himself silently. _"If I am, I certainly don't feel fearless right now."_ Realizing with the way he was feeling and that he was somewhat stuck where he was, Leo relaxed against the couch cushions. It was then that the rat loosened his hold on the turtle's wrists. Finally, Splinter released him completely as his son finally calmed down.

Leo looked up at the creature and sensed serenity from him, despite the fact that, moments earlier, the rat was quite upset with the one called Raphael. Leo looked over as he watched the one in orange retreat into yet another of the strange cars, _"And that one is called - Michelangelo. What strange names,"_ he thought

However, the other turtle, the one wearing the odd purple mask, stood next to where the rat sat on the couch. Leo looked up at him and meekly asked, "So – your name is – Donatello, right?"

Swallowing to fight back his own concern with his brother's memory loss, Donnie replied, "Right. But, you can call me Don or Donnie." He smiled in an attempt to put him at ease.

"Donatello…" Leo allowed the name to roll off his tongue as he tried it out. "Donatello, Donnie…" he experimented. "I like Don, better. Seems more familiar, for some reason." Leo didn't know why he felt that way, but for the moment, he did.

However, in that moment, he saw a smile spread across Don's face. The rat, too, seemed to respond positively, his whiskers twitching almost in anticipation. "Have I - said something wrong?" Leo asked worriedly.

"No, not at all, in fact, it's a good sign!" Donnie chirped happily. He turned to Splinter and then said, "I'm going to go research a bit, Sensei. If you need me…"

"I will call you, my son," the rat nodded. He then turned back to focus on Leo and commented, "Right now, it is far more important for Leonardo to become reacquainted with his home."

As he watched Don leave and from where he lay on the couch, Leo saw that he was in a large concrete and brick room. It was wide and expansive with a high ceiling that had a decorative glass dome in the center of it. Train cars, three of them, were just behind where Splinter sat, which told Leo that the room he was in was more of subway station of sorts.

As he took in the abandoned station, Leo found that the aspirin was taking the edge off his headache. That, in and of itself, was a relief. Still, he was quite intrigued with where he was at for the moment. "So, do I live here?" Leonardo asked as he looked around.

"Yes, you do," Splinter replied, a bit more upbeat than he felt earlier, "The others are also your brothers. And…" Splinter reached over to caress Leo's skull gently, "it seems as if you have suffered from a concussion. This might explain why you do not recognize anyone."

Nodding as if accepting the rat's explanation, Leo then asked him, "What do I call you, then?"

Smiling and folding his paws into his lap, Splinter bowed slightly and replied, "You may call me Master Splinter, or Sensei, for that is what I am to you."

Leo furrowed his brow in curiosity, asking, "What – is a sensei?"

Sighing and nodding his head, he realized Leo had probably lost more than his memory. And, more than likely, he might have lost his knowledge of ninjitsu as well.

Just the same, Splinter replied evenly, "It means 'teacher'. It is Japanese and is often used in conjunction with martial arts, or ninjitsu." He waited, now, wondering if those two words would trigger his son's memory. He hoped that they would.

Yet, as he watched for a light of recognition in his eldest son's eyes, Splinter slowly realized that his Leonardo' amnesia seemed to be complete. The look of utter confusion on the turtle's face was even more intense that before.

Now, how was his son going to be able to continue his training when all of his memory was gone?

That was the biggest problem and one that the rat feared most. Maybe after some time, Leonardo would find himself again, yet Splinter knew that certain forms of amnesia were permanent. In response, he couldn't help but sigh in frustration. As he sadly watched Leonardo look around from where the turtle lay on the couch, Splinter could only hope that, for the welfare of the clan and for the sake of his oldest son, this would not be true of him.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Notes: Well, I do not expect any reviews for this, where the contents have already posted and commented on in what used to be Chapter Seven. I will comment on those reviews at the end of Chapter Nine. Just the same, I want to say thanks to everyone's participation in keeping my interest going. Yeah, I took a bit of a breather after finishing Reflected Reality, although Absolution was a random thought that managed to find its way onto Fan Fiction. I do plan to finish that one, too. I know how it's going to end and all, where it's leading to, etc…

Anyway, mucho gracias! Be blessed.


	9. The Demon Within

**DISCLAIMER** – Okay, I know it's been a while since I last updated this story. My apologies. With exceptions to _Absolution_, my muses have been stingy with ideas and meandering.

So, rather than wait for them to kick-start me, I plowed ahead anyway.

For those readers who have had the misfortune of experiencing events that lead to PTSD, my hugs and prayers to you. The opening part of this chapter deals with my OC's, experience - sort of. It is somewhat allegorical to Beth's psychosis, as you will begin to understand while reading along. However, it gets better from there, for a while, anyway. Either way, just know that this is only a story, okay?

I redundantly repeat, recapitulate to rehash, in order to restate and retell – I do not own the TMNT's or anything remotely like them that is copy write-protected

Enough said.

**CHAPTER** **9** – **The Demon Within**

He had discovered where she lived. Breaking through her kitchen window, he now stood inside Beth's apartment as he faced the terrified girl. Slowly, he moved towards her. With each step that he took, she could hear the broken shards of glass crunch beneath his shoes.

The look in his eyes told her what he wanted, what he was planning.

Beth knew that she would not live to tell about it.

But that didn't mean she couldn't try to get away.

However, in her panic to escape his clutches and as she raced through the living room, she tripped while rounding her sofa. Careening forward with her arms splayed out in front of her, she fell hard against her front door. Quickly recovering and scrambling back up onto her feet, she grabbed for the door, frantically trying to open it to escape. However, much to her horror, she found the doorknob unmoving and seemingly locked tight.

With a confident sneer etched haphazardly upon his face, he watched hungrily as he advanced upon her.

Beth finally realized the problem with the door and quickly attempted to disengage the three deadbolts. She struggled with the turns, crying out once in frustration, yet she was unable to unlock a single one. It just didn't seem possible, but no matter how hard she tried, the strikers remained unyielding, and permanently engaged into the doorjamb.

Trapped against the door, now, she panicked. Whipping back around to face her tormentor, Beth pressed her back up against the wood of the door, wishing for a miracle, and wishing someone would come to her rescue.

Quickly assessing her antagonist, she saw that some of the man's filthy black hair, disheveled and long, fell in front of his right eye. The rest of it jutted out in a mat of nested confusion, as if uncombed. Then, Beth saw the all-too familiar scar. It ran down the left side of his ruddy visage, almost from the man's scalp to the edge of his chin. Like a white streak of lightening, it coursed bold down the dark canvas of his face, giving him the appearance of pure evil. Moreover, a glistening, bubbly drool glazed the lower part of his mouth, as if he were rabid.

He then bared crooked yellow teeth, licking his lips like a predator, as he uttered a low and crazed chuckle. She could easily smell his reeking breath from where she stood, her body now frozen in terror and seemingly unable to move.

Beth wanted to run, to scream, but no matter how hard she willed it, she could not.

Quickly and faster than she thought possible, though, he bridged the gap between them.

It was then that she saw the knife.

He was working it in his calloused hands, turning the weapon around and around, as if practicing for what he was going to do to her. He giggled once, a deranged snicker of a mentally disturbed man who seemed amused by his own insanity.

Mute with fear, Beth watched as tiny reflections of light danced against the metal blade. Then, her nightmare suddenly lunged towards her, reaching out with his other hand as if to grab at her.

At the same time, he brought the knife up and hesitated, sneering into her face.

She could do nothing but watch with paralyzing fear.

Just the same, feeling him pressing against her and knowing what he was going to do, she tried to scream once again.

Yet, as before, Beth could not make a sound, until, in the next moment, she woke up; finally screaming as if her life depended on it.

Mike's vigil of watching the girl had been a rather boring affair. It seemed the sleeping dart had done a more than efficient job of keeping her unconscious.

Consequently, Mike became bored.

On several occasions, he had wanted a break, to go back to his room to read or maybe grab a few hours of sleep. However, Splinter reminded him that under no circumstances was he to abandon his post. The rat felt that, when the girl awakened, it was his son's responsibility to be there.

"After all, Michelangelo," the rat patiently rebuked him, "had you been mindful of your steps, the girl would still be in her apartment," Splinter narrowed his expression as he continued to explain, his voice stern, "She would be sleeping, uninjured, and oblivious to you and your brothers. Leonardo's absence would be her only concern and even with that, the drug in the dart would have given her reason to believe that she had only dreamt about him."

However, Mike tried to argue the point as he stood at the threshold of Splinter's bedroom door, trying to reason with his father. Several feet away, the elderly rat reclined on the living room sofa next to Leonardo, who listened to the discussion with rapt interest.

Moaning, Mike reiterated, "But - how was I t'know the floor would do that?"

Of course, had his timing been better, he would have made a very valid and convincing argument. Mike had even seen his sensei pause in that moment, boosting the turtle's confidence that his father might possibly reconsider.

However, when Mike made his plea for understanding, Raphael had just stepped out of his room and was heading over to the kitchen.

Consequently, he could not help but overhear his brother's whiney plea.

Raph angrily turned towards him and, with his arms thrown wide in exasperation, declared, "Wha' d'ya mean you didn't know the floor would do that? The entire BROWNstone was nuttin but a bunch of warped boards n' crumbling bricks, MIKE! I even ind'a'cated the floor was warped." Pointing sharply at his youngest brother, Raph declared, "YOU should'a been more careful!" With that, he continued towards his target - the refrigerator and his stash of beer.

Frustrated, Mike retorted, "I thought you meant just the one board, Raph, not the entire apartment floor."

"I'm not gon'a get inta'it with ya, Mike." Raphael glared over at him, "If yer so inept that ya can't get a clue, then ya need to start practic'n a bit more than ya do." Raph smiled a bit, saying, "Hey, that sort'a rhymed, didn't it?" He seemed pleased with himself for a moment, hesitating as he mentally assessed his on-the-spot creativity and gave a thoughtful look. However, shrugging it off, he quickly resumed his task, yanking open the refrigerator door. Reaching inside the appliance, he soon brought forth a cold can of brew. Popping the tab, he upended the container and chugged a long pull of the alcoholic beverage. Coming back up for air, he wiped his forearm across his muzzle and headed back to his car, commenting as he went, "'Sides, Mike, the way those stairs sang 'Alleluia' when we traced her back ta'the apartment, that should've been yer first clue the place was rigged." Raph shook his head in utter disbelief, muttering, "Baby brothers; so pitiful," and made for his bedroom again.

Mike gulped back the rest of his excuses. He knew that Raph was right; he should have tested the floor first before rushing his assignment. Although the stairs did betray his older brother, twice no less, after that experience, Raphael made up for it by being more cautious.

At the very least, Mike should have followed by example alone.

Just the same, it seemed unfair to Mike that he had to do the 'unconscious guest' stint alone.

Nevertheless, Splinter's tail now lashed and snaked along the ground in front of the couch, convincing the orange-masked turtle that it was time to drop the subject. Mike then shrugged once in defeat and quickly ducked back inside the subway car.

From that point on, Mike quietly remained on-watch next to the girl, sitting chastised and silenced in the single chair the room afforded.

While he did guard duty, his memory-challenged brother was recovering, now upright and seated on the couch next to Splinter. The rat had made Leo a pot of herbal tea and was encouraging his son to drink the entire amount, one cup at a time. At one point, Mike peeked out into the main part of the lair from where he sat, curious as to his brother's condition. Watching Leo drink another cup of the tea, Mike couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

Though he would admit the concoction did wonders with healing, in the end, the tea did an equally good job of making a person desperate for the bathroom.

_"Hope Leo can at least remember where the 'can' is,"_ Mike sighed quietly. He looked back over to his 'patient' again and hoped she would be waking soon. Of the four brothers, he, most of all, dreaded the basic part of caring for an unconscious 'guest'.

However, twenty minutes shy of the two-hour mark of his watch, the girl began to toss and turn in the bed. While she did, she moaned and mumbled in her sleep. Occasionally, Mike would hear a word or two, but her utterances were disjointed and incoherent, too much so to make any sense of them.

As he observed her, the girl thrashed around more and more. She was on her back with her arms and feet striking out, as if trying to defend herself against someone. It also seemed as if she was trying to scream, but was unable to. Mike's eyes widened as her physical gyrations intensified. He watched as the girl, spurred on by her nightmare, pushed herself up towards the head of the bed and against the wall. All the while, she flailed her arms around, trying to deflect something or someone in her nightmarish phantasms.

Yet, what alarmed him even more was the fact that her physical exertion had aggravated her wound. Blood was now seeping through the bandages and her clothing, evidence that the injury had re-opened.

Quickly, Mike stuck his head out of the doorway and exclaimed loudly, "Gettin' some action here, Sensei. She's starting to go kind'a nuts right now!"

In an instant, Splinter was off the couch and heading towards his room. Halfway there, Donatello and Raphael, who had heard their brother's pronouncement, came out of their rooms, making their way quickly towards their father's car and where the girl was.

Leonardo watched all of this with a great deal of interest. He sat there on the couch with one hand holding a teacup, partially filled with the steaming tea, and wondering whom it was Michelangelo was talking about. He watched as the turtle, called Donatello, and the other, named Raphael, hurried over to the sub car where Michelangelo stood waiting at the door.

Up until that moment, Leo had believed that the rat and the other three, supposedly his brothers, were the only ones in the abandoned subway station. He hadn't quite understood the reason why Michelangelo had left them earlier. That was only two hours ago and, quite honestly, he had forgotten about him. During that time, Leo had been talking with the rat, slowly becoming re-educated about many things regarding his family.

At the time, he was too busy trying to make sense of his surroundings – and himself.

However, knowing that someone else was there with them had piqued his curiosity considerably.

_"She?"_ he wondered to himself, _"There's a 'she' here? A girl – mutant?"_ He smiled a bit, somewhat amused with that thought. Not more than an hour earlier, Splinter had explained to Leonardo about how all of them had mutated. It had seemed a rather overwhelming and incredibly fascinating story to him, but it did help him to understand, just a little, his physical state.

However, the rat failed to mention anything about a 'She'.

Quirking his eye ridges a bit, Leo pondered as to why Splinter would not mention her. After a moment or two, he decided that maybe the rat did so deliberately.

After all, with four available males in the lair, obviously there would be some sort of competition for her attention.

Since his headache had improved considerably and he was feeling a bit better, Leo decided to wander over to investigate. At the very least, he might get a peak at this elusive female mutant. As he rose to a stand and reacquainted himself with his wounds, he realized his progress was going to be slow. Yet, Leo was determined to find out what exactly was going on in Splinter's bedroom.

The elderly rat was now standing just inside his doorway. He watched as the still-sleeping woman fought off her imaginary demons, tossing and turning in his bed. He wanted to restrain her, where her wound was bleeding again, but he was quite concerned with making her nightmare worse. He sensed Don and Raph behind him as Mike fidgeted to his right.

The young turtle was equally concerned with their guest's obvious despair, but clueless as to how to proceed.

"Sensei, what are we going to do?" Mike moaned as he watched Beth struggle within her terror dream, "We have to get her to calm down."

"Yes, Michelangelo, I am fully aware of this fact, but we cannot force her at this time," His father replied.

"Splinter's right, Mike; we have to wait until she calms down on her own," Don concurred.

"But, she's bleeding, Don," his brother protested, "She could bleed to death."

Chuckling a little, Donatello replied, "No, Mike, she won't bleed to death, the wound wasn't as deep as I first thought. She'll just be good and sore for a while, is all."

While they were watching Beth struggle, Leonardo slowly stepped up behind Don and Raph, "What's going on?" he asked, taking a sip of tea from his cup. It hurt to walk and he was weaker than he thought he was, but he had made up his mind about seeing this other mutant.

Raph glanced over at Don, who met his gaze with a quirked eye-ridge, and then at Mike, who sheepishly grinned back at him. Hesitantly, Raphael turned to face Leo again as he answered, "Ah, we have a guest that – ah - is injured and she's hav'n a bad dream of some kind." He paused as Leo nodded in understanding. Raph then wondered if it was wise for his confused sibling to witness what was going on. "Maybe ya better go back to the couch, eh; let us handle things?"

Leo looked over at Raph and offered a wide, knowing smile, "No, that's all right. I'd like to watch." He then moved a little closer to get a better view. However, with the three turtles and the one rat huddled near and inside the door in front of him, he still could not see inside for the other mutant. Focused on only getting closer, he accidentally nudged the one in red. Consequently, Leo spilled some of the tea on him.

If his brother's memory had not been so impaired, Raph would have preferred wiping the floor up with Leonardo for being careless with the tea. As it was, the red-masked turtle held back his first-strike response, simply because he knew it would not have been a fair fight.

Wiping off the offending liquid, Raphael protested irritably, "Hey, it's a bit crowded here, know what I mean. Maybe ya should go and…"

However, and oblivious to the spilled tea, Leonardo interrupted him, "I think I do know what you mean. You want her for yourself, don't ya?" Leo smiled, confident of his assumptions.

Raph, quirking his eye-ridges in confusion, declared hotly to Leonardo, "What?" He then huffed, as if insulted, "Are you nuts? He shot a pointed finger towards the interior of the car, "This girl?" Then, shaking his head indignantly, Raphael exclaimed, "Don't think so, **_bro_**!" and with that, he turned heel and stormed off towards his room, muttering under his breath as he did, "Idjit's got no mem'ry an' already he thinks he knows me_!" _He looked back at his brother, saw that Leonardo was watching him, and then raised one hand in his direction, exclaiming for all to hear, "Pick a **_finger_**, LEO!" and then proceeded towards his compartment

Leonardo stared hard after Raphael, shaking his head as he commented quietly, "Well, I've certainly hit the bulls-eye with that one!"

Don turned towards him and remarked in a huff, "Do you have any idea who we have in here?"

"Well, um…no, I don't, not exactly, but I figured it's a 'she' and a mutant like us – right?" Leo answered softly, sensing Donatello's disdain and now somewhat uncertain with his own assumptions.

"Wrong. She's human and she's injured and she evidently rescued _you_ before _we_ could," the purple-masked turtle exclaimed sharply.

"WHAT?" Leo eyes went wide, "W-what did you just say? _She_ rescued _me_?" Rising up on his toes, he looked past Don and Splinter, and then past Mikey to see what Don was talking about. No one had told him they had the girl who had taken him in. "Can I look, please? I need to see her," he asked more desperately as he moved closer to the entrance of the sub car.

Nodding and moving aside, yet a little confused, Donatello allowed his brother to edge farther into the doorway.

However, Splinter sensed Leo's approach and gently held out a hand to stop his progress.

"My son, you must stay back," he advised as he turned to face Leonardo, "She is quite unstable right now, where she is unaware of her surroundings and with what she is doing."

"But, she rescued me," Leo protested, looking beyond the rat to the figure wreathing on the bed. He recognized her, now, his concern quite evident in his expression, "I remember her helping me to her apartment."

Leonardo's statement surprised the rat. Even Michelangelo's attention ripped away from the thrashing girl on the bed to his brother. Donatello stepped closer as he studied his memory-challenged sibling, a small smile forming along his snout.

"You remember her, you remember her helping you?" Don asked inquisitively.

"Yes, I do." Leo looked at him and then to Splinter, "I remember that she cleaned my wounds, too. She was – nice; like she cared." He continued to observe the girl, his eye-ridges pinched together in obvious curiosity.

"What else can you tell us about her, my son?" the master asked, his whiskers twitching in interest.

Looking back at the rat, Leo replied, "Not much, other than she gave me her cloak to wear when she first found me. I think I was in an alley. Anyway, I didn't know why she did that at the time, but I guess – considering what I am and all – it was good thing."

"Yes, it was," Splinter remarked in agreement, looking back at the young woman with a renewed sense of relief.

Before he could ask Leonardo any more questions, there seemed to be some sort of culmination to the girl's physical exertions, as if something horrific was peaking within her dream cycle. She seemed resigned, as if whatever was happening in her subconscious was something she couldn't escape.

Just as he came to that conclusion, however, she awoke with a start.

The instant she did, the moment she realized she was awake and free from her nightmare, the first thing she saw when she snapped her eyes open in sudden abruptness, was – a large, overgrown rat and he was staring straight at her.

As Mike's eyes rolled in expectancy, knowing what was going to happen next, Beth's resonating scream pierced the interior of the sub car and the lair beyond.

"Well, at least one thing's for certain," Mike commented dryly, grimacing against the cacophony of noise from the girl.

"What is that, Michelangelo?" his father asked.

Smirking and quite relieved of the duty, Mike happily replied, "I won't have to help her in the bathroom now."


	10. Somebody Shut Her Up!

**_DISCLAIMER_**_ – Well, for now, I seem to have broken through that wall of Writer's Block! Yippee! The story and Beth are mine; all others belong to someone else._

_As for "Pick a Finger", it's a phrase that my son created, to throw back at his fellow workers when they 'give him a bad time'. It keeps his language clean, yet says it like it is. When he told me about it, I couldn't help but laugh. Had to use it somehow with Raph. Ah, think of it as 'the one finger salute', kind of the way Raph 'pointed' out the location of the second squeak in the stairs in Chapter 3. Implied vulgarity, in other words. For Raph, it fits and helps me to keep from spelling it out, too. LOL _

**CHAPTER 10 – Somebody Shut Her Up!**

Unable to stop staring and with her back flattened up against the interior wall of the sub car; Beth struggled for air. The girl had just ended with a wild and nearly hysterical round of screaming, at one point nearly passing out from hyperventilating.

For the moment, her exertion had left her spent and exhausted. Although she tried to will herself to calm down, her mind whirred and buzzed with a thousand unanswered questions to the validity of what stood before her.

She hoped the shadows in the dimly lit room were playing with her mind, allowing her to see monsters where there was none. In all honestly, Beth hoped she was only having a nightmare.

Nevertheless, as she stared in disbelief at the rat, the girl was beginning to conclude that she was, indeed, not asleep, but – quite literally – she was very much awake. The more she realized and began to accept this fact as true, the faster her heart beat against her chest.

As for Splinter, the poor old rat sighed deeply in relief for what was surely a brief abeyance. His hearing buzzed from the fallout of riotous noise and, for a moment, he hoped that, maybe now, the girl would let him explain where she was.

Yet, just as he opened his muzzle to speak and before he could say even a single a word, Beth's eyes widened in terrifying fright - again.

Splinter groaned, realizing his mistake, ceasing all movement for the time being. It was becoming obvious to him that, if he stayed absolutely still and said nothing, there was a good chance the girl would realize he was not a threat to her. Otherwise, she just might pass out.

Then again, as he thought about it, having her keel over might be better than listening to her shriek.

Just the same, he watched and cringed, hoping her exhaustion would be greater than her need to scream. Yet, as she drew up yet another deep terrified breath, the rat resigned himself to the inevitable.

As expected, she began another rendition of 'Banshee of the Sewers'.

Pinning his ears back in reflex, Splinter could only cringe - again.

She was certain the monster had bared his teeth at her. Now, Beth tried to get even further away from the creature. Already pressed hard into the wall, she attempted to climb it vertically, instead. Unfortunately, footholds were minimal, at best. Each time she would dig her heels into the contours of the wall, she would slip back down to onto the mattress. However, every attempt would cause the bed to shift slightly from its corner position.

For the moment, Beth was unaware of it.

Seeing the girl out of control for a second time, Splinter grimaced under her verbal assault. He exercised a light form of meditation to remain calm, as Beth's stentorious voice pierced through him. He knew that, at least for now, she had to vent whatever terror still seized her mind. It was obvious to him, whatever it was that had controlled her dreams was currently influencing her waking.

As the creature stood there, looking at her, all Beth could do was to scream and try to climb the wall in pure terror to get away. Yet, her eyes could not stop staring at the huge, hairy beast in front of her. With his big ears, hairless tail, and overgrown size, the strange being was now her primary focus. Had it not been for the nightmare she awakened from a moment earlier, Beth might have handled the situation a bit better.

For one, she might not have screamed so loudly.

As it was, though, the moment she awoke, the instant her eyes snapped open, her 'fight or flight' response fully engaged. Where she could do neither and where she felt completely trapped inside the unfamiliar room, she did the next best thing.

The problem was she simply could not justify what she was looking at. No matter how hard she tried to convince herself that it was not real, the creature refused to go away, to disappear within the nether reaches of her obviously disturbed mind.

Now, instead of the human monster of her nightmares, Beth had to deal with a monster of a very different variety. Consequently, with her mind and eyes focused on just the rat, those standing around the furry abomination went unnoticed.

Hence, the girl failed to see the more familiar, turtle-like creatures in orange and purple that stood next to the one that riveted her attention.

As he stood there and cringed throughout Beth's resonating caterwaul, poor Mike could only wring his hands in nervous anxiety. He desperately wanted to be somewhere else entirely – somewhere peaceful. In desperation, he looked over at his sensei, feeling almost as terrified as the girl was.

Speaking loudly over her deafening clamor, Mike exclaimed nervously to his father, "Sensei, we gotta do something. She's going to bring all of New York in here if we don't!"

"I am well aware of this, Michelangelo." Splinter replied, sighing, "But if any of us attempt to restrain her now, I fear her mental stability might succumb."

Don's voice then rose above the din, "I think we're going to have to dart her, again, Master."

Splinter looked back at his son and remarked, "Not as strong, this time, Donatello. We need only to help her calm down."

"What I was thinking, Sensei." Receiving an approving nod from the rat, the turtle quickly left, leaving his father and two brothers alone with the nearly hysterical girl.

As her screams declined a little and their voracity weakened, Beth noticed Donatello's departure. Consequently, her squalls quieted even more. However, all she saw was a quick departure of purple and green, appearing to move quicker than she thought humanly possible. It was what grabbed her attention and caused her to ask herself silently how anyone could do that?

Therefore, she was distracted, causing her to truncate her vocalized fright.

Yet, as quickly as Don had left, another presence came into view, except this one wore blue. For an instant, Beth thought she recognized him.

Just as her panic eased up, though, she found herself suddenly gasping for air. Hyperventilating once again, she was realizing too late that she had neglected to breath. As a result, she began to feel light-headed and then dizzy, causing her knees to buckle beneath her. Before she could catch herself, Beth found herself falling and collapsing onto the bed, her back landing hard against the wall.

In the moment she crumpled, the force from her fall moved the bed even further from the corner. Thus, Beth lost her balance and slipped off the back of the mattress. Falling unceremoniously to the floor, she landed on her back, stuck between bed and wall and, now, hidden from view.

Nevertheless, a sudden silence now deafened the room. Shocked and surprised by what had happened, the girl's screaming came to an abrupt and, for those victimized, happy ending.

Yet, the moment Beth fell in behind the bed, a rush of green and blue whipped around Splinter and Mike. Despite his own injuries, Leonardo sprinted over and onto the bed.

Moments earlier, he had stood transfixed with astonishment and concern while listening to Beth's reaction to the rat. He could certainly appreciate her shock, where he, likewise, felt the same only a couple of hours earlier. Yet, the girl's reaction had still surprised him.

Recalling how she had helped him earlier, Leo now seemed drawn to reciprocate the girl's kindness. Consequently, when he saw her bleeding and then when she fell behind the bed, he could not help but to rush to her aid.

As for Beth, she had been so traumatized with seeing Splinter, that she had not realized she was hurt – until now. Now, as she lay behind the bed on the floor and on her back, she felt a sudden sharp pain in her side. She quickly pressed a hand against the offending area. However, she gasped in surprise as she felt a warm sticky wetness. In alarm and as if she had just touched the metal plate of a hot iron, Beth pulled her hand away. Her eyes went saucer-size at the sight of the red liquid glazing her fingers and palm.

It was blood.

However, before she could cry out in alarm, a green face peered down at her from above. Wrapped around the face, the creature had a blue bandanna, with holes cut out where the eyes were. Whomever it belonged to was apparently on his knees and leaning over the bed where she had fallen. As she looked up, Beth noticed the caring expression of the eyes behind the mask.

Next, a three-fingered hand extended towards her, accompanied by a vaguely familiar baritone voice.

"Are you all right? Here, let me help you," it said softly.

At first, the girl pulled away out of reflex, throwing her hands up as if defending herself. She cowed, almost shyly, as she turned her face away from the strange creature. So much had happened in only a few minutes, she was afraid that, if she saw anything more, she would go catatonic.

"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you," the creature said compassionately, "Do you remember when you helped me?"

Curious, Beth cautiously turned back to look at the creature, peering at him between her hands. As she gazed up at him, he seemed familiar to her. Finally, nodding mutely, she studied him and recognized that he was, indeed, the very one who had slept on her couch. Recognizing his injuries, she knew that he was the one she had discovered bleeding in the alley near her apartment. How long ago, she could not say, but then she had just woken up. Therefore, it was anyone's guess how much time had actually passed.

Had so much elapsed that he was now well? If so, did that mean she had gone catatonic, once again, and longer than normal this time?

For that matter, and as she looked around, Beth wondered where exactly she was.

Nothing appeared familiar to her.

"Wh- where am I?" she asked in a small, hesitant voice, her eyes flitting around nervously.

"I think you're in my home. That's what I've been told, anyway, but – it seems my memory is a bit vague for the moment," the one with the blue mask replied. He smiled softly, further explaining, "Splinter says I have amnesia."

"Why – am I here, though?" was Beth's next question. She gulped nervously, not sure if she was safe or in danger.

"Hmm…that I don't know. I only found out a moment ago that you were even here." Leo looked down at the girl's midsection, noting the blood on her blouse. "But, it looks as if you've been hurt."

Beth's attention was riveted back to the pain in her side again. She grimaced. "Yeah," she finally mumbled, "I think you're right." She looked back up at him, mesmerized with his face, his smile, and the kind concern he expressed through his eyes. "How was I hurt, though?"

A voice she did not recognize, came to her ears, "If you will cease your screaming, child, and allow us to explain, you will know."

Since she was behind the bed and lying on the floor along the wall, Beth was unable to see who had just spoken. "Who - was that?" she asked the one in blue, looking fearfully up at him.

Leo replied, shrugging, "Supposedly, my father, even though he doesn't look at all like me." He then leaned in just a little, whispering, "I think I'm adopted!" He grinned, then, as if he had just shared a joke with the girl.

She gave a small smiled in response. Then, remembering what he had just said and recalling what she had just seen only moments earlier, Beth softly inquired, "Would – he be the – _rat _monster?" She swallowed nervously, again, as her eyes widened ever so slightly. Beth was not sure, now, if she wanted to get up, not if it meant having to look at the overgrown rodent, again.

"Well, yes, but his name is Master Splinter. He's quite harmless, really; very nice, in fact." Leo cocked his head to one side, as he added, "Makes a decent cup of tea, too." Then he smiled again.

Beth returned the expression, if only because she could not help it. For some odd reason, the one in blue seemed to be doing that to her. However, realizing her compromising position, she blushed. Having this pleasant, though strange looking, creature peer down at her and at such a close range, seemed a little unsettling.

However, ignoring the girl's obvious embarrassment, Leo reiterated his offer, extending his hand once again to her, "Here, want some help getting up?"

Hesitantly, Beth accepted, allowing the creature's green hand to close around her own. She saw how the pale white of her skin nearly radiated light against the green embrace of his. Yet, what startled her more, was how easily his hand dwarfed hers, as he effortlessly and gently pulled her out from behind the bed.

Bracing her feet underneath her, she now stood up and realized that she was in full view of those that were in the room.

Seeing the rat again and out of reflex, she slammed hard against the wall for a second time. Still, the one who held her hand did not let go. As Beth looked at where the rat stood, she could now see another like the one who had a hold of her. This second one was smiling as well. His white teeth nearly gleamed with its own radiance as he stood where the light of the room did not reach. It piqued her curiosity where his grin vaguely reminded her of someone or something familiar. However, where the shadows dulled Mikey's orange mask, Beth was unable to discern its vibrant hue. Therefore, she did not recognize him as the one she saw before passing out in her apartment.

"Don't be afraid, okay? You're safe here – honest." Leo encouraged gently as he knelt in front of her.

The girl then asked him, nodding towards Splinter and keeping her voice soft, "Does he – bite?"

Although Beth did try to keep her voice low, Splinter still overheard her question.

As calmly as he could, the rat replied with a noticeable edge to his words, "No, I do not!" Splinter remained where he was, however, and decided not to advance towards the woman, but to allow her to calm down under the guidance of his eldest son. The master was pleased to see that, despite Leonardo's obvious amnesia, his innate desire to help was still a viable part of his personality.

The rat sighed and hoped that it was a sign of improvement.

Just the same, however, Splinter's nose easily took in Beth's presence. Directing his words to her, he invited kindly, "Maybe, when you are better, you would like to 'freshen' up in our bathroom?"

Beth was still unable to fathom the idea that the creature in blue could speak. Therefore, it seemed equally bizarre that this even stranger entity had the same capabilities.

Yet, it was obvious to her that these 'mutations of nature' were quite intelligent.

Consequently, she felt obliged to answer, "Yes, that would be – nice, I guess."

Huffing a bit, the rat replied dryly, "Indeed it would be."

He then studied this human, this girl who obviously harbored many debilitating psychoses. He could sense her now-subdued panic and easily discerned the feeling of terror from her dream. Nevertheless, Splinter was unable to get anything more than just a disjointed feeling from it. It was as if somewhere, somehow, an event in this mentally frail woman had altered whatever course her life would have taken otherwise. Consequently, his current irritation with her subsided, replaced with a bit of empathy for the girl.

"Possibly you would like to remove yourself from behind the bed and maybe visit the rest of our home?" He watched with twitching whiskers and waited for the girl's response, adding, "Possibly you would also enjoy a cup of my tea?"

Beth looked to Leo, who was still holding her hand while kneeling on the bed to her right. He smiled at her encouragingly and nodded, telling her, with that gesture alone, that it was a good idea.

In answer to the rat's invitation, Beth cautiously stepped up onto the bed, yet still mindful of her sore side.

Her benefactor rose up to stand with her, gently helping so that she would not aggravate her wound any further. Leading the way, Leo then assisted Beth across the bed, preceding her to the other side as he stepped carefully down from the mattress and onto the floor. Gingerly, Beth followed him off the bed to stand beside him.

Unfortunately, the movement jarred her already tender side, causing her to grimace from the pain.

As a result, her knees buckled a little, forcing her to sit upon the edge of the mattress.

"Guess I'm a bit sore," Beth remarked, frowning a little. The pain was now becoming more of a concern for her than her fear of the rat. She closed her eyes for a second to bear against it and then, as she opened them again, she saw another turtle walk into the sub car. He seemed to be carrying something in one hand. However, before Beth could determine what it was, he shoved it into a small pouch on his belt. She noticed that all three of the turtle-like creatures wore a belt of some type with similar pouches, yet it seemed rather comical to her that they would even need it.

Who would think that turtles would wear a belt?

"Guess she won't need this," Don mused under his breath, thankful the girl did not see the dart he had been carrying. He then gave Beth a thoughtful look.

"No, she will not, Donatello, but you will need to address her injury, again." Master Splinter remarked and, as he looked over at the girl, he said to her, "My son will need to re-bandage your wound. He is very skilled in this area."

As Splinter said this, Don slowly and carefully moved around his father. Grabbing the first aid kit from off the top of the nearby dresser, Don stepped over towards the girl.

Seeing the turtle approach her, Beth startled and tried to scramble back onto the bed. However, the hand that held hers gave a reassuring squeeze. Leo softly encouraged her as he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders to keep her steady, "It's all right. He's – my brother."

Don hesitated for a moment to allow his brother to assure the girl. It was apparent to him that the bleeding had stopped, yet it was also imperative the wound be dressed again. Just the same, he waited as he watched and listened while the girl's attention was temporarily distracted from him.

Looking over at the one in blue, Beth noticed the same kind expression in Leo's eyes. She saw him smile once more and wondered if he was always this pleasant. She finally asked what she had wanted to know from the very beginning, when she watched him sleeping upon her couch, "What – is your name?"

"Leo or Leonardo. At least, that is what my father, Master Splinter, told me," he replied and then asked her, "What is yours?"

Shyly ducking her head a little, the girl sheepishly replied, "Beth."

While his brother and Beth interacted, Don reached out with his senses and saw a remarkable reduction in the girl's fear. Usually Mike was the one to put people at ease and not Leo. Leo was all business and more concerned with intent rather than purpose, seeing anyone they rescued as potential enemies. Yet, his current amnesia had obviously changed that part of his personality.

It would certainly prove interesting in the days ahead what other changes were in store for the clan.

As Leo looked his way, Don proceeded towards the girl once again.

As the one in purple came up to them, Leo introduced her, "Beth, this is Donatello."

She looked at him and received a small reassuring smile from the turtle in the violet mask. Then, she heard him say, "You can call me Don; everyone else does – except for Master Splinter."

"Yeah, Splinter's big on formalities!" an unfamiliar voice said, sounding quite bouncy and cheerful. He then added, "To him I'm Michelangelo, but you can call me Mikey." A turtle, much like the others only shorter, stepped out from the shadows. Now, light washed over him, clearly allowing the girl to see his face. He cocked his head just a bit and grinned, quite relieved that their guest had ceased her screaming.

However, Beth quickly recognized the one who had spoken. The orange mask brought it all back to her.

In an abrupt change in demeanor, she suddenly exclaimed, "YOU!" Her eyes flashed angrily, "You were in my apartment. You broke into my _home!"_ Discontent now edged her words, her voice changing from that of a frightened young woman to one who was thoroughly irate. "_You_ violated me!" she accused as her eyes narrowed threateningly.

Completely taken by surprise, Michelangelo stepped back. His smile now gone, Mike was unsure of where this confrontation was heading. He placed a hand across his plastron, grinning weakly as he said, "I – I can explain that, really I can." He gulped nervously as he saw the girl's face darken. He then looked with pleading eyes to his brothers and his father for help.

"You BETTER do some explaining." Beth countered, "What you did was against the law. Breaking and entering is punishable to up to ten years in the state penitentiary." She was livid, thoroughly and completely vexed with the poor turtle.

Don blinked and straightened up just a little, asking her, "And how would you know that?"

Hardening her gaze on him, she quickly recalled that he was one of three who had broken into her apartment. Therefore, Beth hotly replied, her temper flaring, "Because, my _father_ was a lawyer. _I_ would have become one, as well, except…" she paused for a moment, collecting herself, only to say, "Except I didn't." She swallowed and looked away for a moment. Then, rounding her gaze back over to Mike, she reiterated her declaration, "Doesn't matter, I know the law and _you_ broke it!"

All the commotion between Beth's screams, her sudden silence, and now her verbal complaint, had drawn Raphael out from his bedroom.

As Beth finished her accusations and as she sat there defiantly, Raphael eased up behind his father. He looked hard at this woman, who was just now realizing his presence.

Beth was certain he had not been there a second before. Yet, there he was, seemingly appearing out of thin air. _"How did he do that?"_ she wondered to herself.

Just the same and as she recalled the event in her apartment, Beth remembered there was a fourth turtle - the one in red. "And you, too! How _dare_ you break into my home!" she accused him tempestuously.

Taken aback by Beth's rashness, Raphael gruffly declared, "Look, lady, we were look'n for our bro. Wha' d'ya expect us ta do, go knockin' on yer door, askin' if you've seen him?" Raph remarked, a swagger to his words, "If it hasn't occurred to ya yet, it's not like we kin do that very easily, know what I mean?" Folding his arms across his plastron, Raph shook his head as he said derisively, "Why're humans so stupid, anyway?"

"RAPHAEL!" rebuked Master Splinter as he turned to shoot a warning glare at him. Yet, it was too late; Beth had heard the insult loud and clear.

Narrowing her eyes, the fighting part of her personality came forth. She hesitantly and painfully stood up off the mattress, keeping her eyes on her antagonist as she exclaimed pointedly, "You could have left a note!" Then she smirked, her irritation overriding her previous concerns, "Unless, that is, you don't know how to _WRITE!"_

Raphael's eyes widened just a little – and then they narrowed to dangerous slits. He caught Splinter's warning; however, the subtle slap of his father's tail directing a command to stand down.

Just the same, the crimson-banded mutant threw back one final tart comment before turning hotly around to head back to his room once again, "I can WRITE, lady, but I didn't know if I should use English or Japanese Kanji!"

Beth watched as he turned around and disappeared beyond her line of sight. She stood there next to the bed, her hand still within Leonardo's grasp. She soon heard a door slide shut with a loud, echoing bang. Blinking back her astonishment, she was somewhat struck by the selection of writing skills, as if Raphael was serious.

Looking over at the one in blue, Beth asked incredulously, "He can write in Kanji?"

Leo shrugged, "Don't know. I'm memory-challenged right now, remember?"

However, Don, who was somewhat irritated with the repartee' between his temperamental brother and the girl, replied as he sniffed at Beth's question to their intellect, "Actually, we all can."

Beth looked at him, then over at Splinter and Michelangelo, horrified that she had been so assertive and insulting. Maybe they did break into her apartment, but this one in red had made a valid point to support their reason.

She could then only give a simple, soft-spoken response, "Oh." The girl suddenly sighed as she blushed yet a second time, sitting back down on the edge of the bed.

Commenting in a low, chastised tone, Beth softy remarked, "Guess I owe him an apology."

Harrumphing, Master Splinter exclaimed, glancing back in the direction of Raphael's bedroom, "Just as he owes you, my child!"


	11. A Lesson in Mutant History

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Well, Eastman and Laird are rich, I'm not, which proves that I don't own the turtles. I just like to torture them from time to time. _

**CHAPTER 11 – History Lessons**

If it had not been for Leo sitting there with her, holding her hand, and doing such a remarkable job of distracting her with conversation, Don would have had a difficult time re-dressing Beth's wound.

As it was, Leo's soft baritone voice and calm demeanor seemed to placate the girl's anxiety.

Maybe she was still in shock or, quite possibly, she sensed their intent to help her. Whatever the reason, Beth was impressed with the speed and efficiency that Don displayed in replacing the soiled dressing with fresh wrappings. He had even given her the opportunity to clean the blood off herself, apparently mindful of her aversion to having someone touch her.

How he knew this without finding out the hard way mystified the girl. Just the same, his caring approach deeply affected her.

As he re-wrapped her injured side, his dexterity was another quality that appeased her fears. Never once did his fingers brush against her skin. All he did was gently, yet firmly, wind the sterilized ribbons of cloth around her midsection. Even when he secured them in place against the fabric with small metal grabs, he did so with a gentleness that surprised her.

When he was finished, Don smiled at her as he instructed, "You should take it easy for a few days. No bending or lifting. As for showering, I would wait a while longer in order to give your wound time to heal."

As he was getting ready to leave, however, she suddenly asked him, "How – how did I injure myself?"

Don looked at her, sincere sympathy etched across his face. Then, as he smiled compassionately, he replied, "It is better if you let Master Splinter tell you." Then, before she could press the issue further, he gave a small bow and left her with Leo.

After resigning herself to the fact that she would not be getting any immediate answers to her questions, from where she sat on the bed, Beth visually took in the room.

Earlier, while Don was changing her dressing, she learned from him that she was in Splinter's personal quarters. With that in mind, she now noted the sub car's interior.

The 'room' itself appeared shorter than what she would imagine a subway car to be. Yet upon closer inspection, Beth realized that her benefactors had erected a makeshift wall. It appeared to separate the long compartment and create what she suspected to be two rooms.

Yet, as she looked at the wall, she was rather impressed with the quality of work, an obvious testament to the turtle's creativity.

It did well to give the rooms' occupants a reasonable amount of private space.

The bed on which she was currently sitting, now shoved back into its corner and up against the wall, was a simple mattress placed upon a raised wooden platform. Although the covers were askew from where she had lain, Beth was impressed with the dark blue patchwork quilt. She fingered the material, realizing the comforter's well-worn condition. Obviously, it was rescue from someone's dumpster.

However, the Asian design that graced its jumble of squares intrigued her. It was obvious to Beth that the needlework was a new addition. The threading, varied in quality and color, shimmered slightly against the dullness of the dark blue background. However, the needlepoint white cranes gracing a simple Japanese landscape and which patterned the coverlet, spoke volumes about the talented hands that made it.

Beth smiled a little, somewhat amused that any of these creatures would posses such ability.

Looking up to inspect the rest of the room, the girl took note of the door that stood opened at the opposite end from where she sat. Placed at the end of the wall that ran across from her, its location gave a reasonable amount of privacy for the sleeping area.

Yet, it was the windows, themselves, that grabbed her attention for the moment. Adorning the upper portion of the sub car, their coverings were mostly red in color and predominately of a velvet material. It was obvious, by what she could tell, that the material had seen better days. Just the same, they did well in adding a bit of warmth, if not privacy, to the room.

Again, for such creatures to want or even need such a thing seemed incredible to her.

Just the same, she would admit that the position of the bed to the entrance gave an almost 'studio apartment' feel to the interior. When one entered the compartment, there was a reasonable amount of area to mill about without feeling claustrophobic. Even the one chair near the foot of the bed did little to cramp the allotted space.

Beth then quickly took note of the amenities the room afforded.

With a tatami mat on the tiled floor, it counterbalanced the framed silk prints that hung on the makeshift wall. Depicting scenes from Japan, their quaint motifs added an Asian ambiance to the overall theme of the decor.

Then, Beth sniffed and closed her eyes as she took in a whiff of incense that permeated her senses. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the aromatic sticks in their receptacle. They were currently burning a soft ribbon of smoke from the top of the bureau next to the bed. On the same chest of drawers and next to the incense, was a trio of candles. Each was embedded into their own respective holders as they added a soft, lighted glow to the room.

Although the sub car and its embellishments seemed to be somewhat out of place for the one who normally resided there, Beth was slowly realizing one important fact.

Despite the rat's obvious animalistic appearance, he was the farthest thing from it. .

If the coverlet and curtains were not proof of that, then, the small desk and wooden chair to the left of the door certainly was. On top and along one side of the desk was an assortment of brushes. Housed in a rusty tin can, the bristled tools paired up with what looked like tall rolls of paper. The parchments, collected together with a rubber band and placed along the back of the desk, stood next to the container of artistic implements. What surprised her most, though, was the various jars of India ink, sitting like sentries just in front of the tubes of paper.

To think that this creature would even have an interest in such creativity astounded the girl.

Amazing her even more, though, was that Splinter seemed to have collected a sizeable bit of reading material. Center to the wall between the desk and the sub car's room divider, she spied a collection of various books. Tucked neatly into a well-worn bookcase, she could not quite read the titles for the shadows that were there. Just the same, she could tell that many of them appeared written in Kanji.

She winced a bit at the memory of insulting the one turtle in red; the one Splinter said was named Raphael.

For, if their patriarch read such a language, then it was likely he taught that skill to his surrogate sons. If that were true, then the brushes and ink on the desk would indicate the rat might possibly be able to write in Kanji, as well.

Therefore, Raphael's comment to her, after she had literally insulted him, weighed heavily upon her mind.

Nevertheless, considering the room belonged to the rat himself, Beth could not help but be impressed with him.

_"Who would have thought that a rat had a fetish for Asian culture?"_ she remarked to herself in amusement.

It was becoming obvious to Beth that these 'mutations of nature' seemed to rise above the callousness of her own species.

Now, as she and Leo sat on the edge of the bed and side by side, she noticed her hand still encased within his. Considering what had happened before, she really hadn't given much attention to that small bit of physical contact. However, now, with her fear subsiding and the pain from her wound not as bad, Beth took notice of his touch.

Since he had not done anything offensive to cause her alarm so far, she didn't seem to mind it for the moment. Where, not long ago, she had virtually brought him into her apartment and tended to his own wounds, Beth had already formed a small, if not limited, friendship with the turtle. Although her curiosity and her willingness to help him explained her involvement, his current attentiveness to her only strengthened that connection.

Consequently, for now, she would allow it.

"Are you ready?" Leo asked her, cocking his head coyly just a little as he looked at her.

Beth ducked her face a bit, licking her lips and swallowing, before saying, "I'm - not sure. I sort of – insulted your other brother, the one in red." She turned to look at her new friend and asked nervously, "Is – is he out there, in the other room?"

Shrugging, Leo replied, "Don't know. I can go look if you want me too."

Nodding, Beth accepted her friend's offer, "I'd appreciate it – a lot. He kind of worries me."

With Leo's memory somewhat truncated regarding the nature of his family, he remarked, "Well, he did insult you first. But I have to admit, he does seem to have a temper, doesn't he?" and then smiled as he said, "I'll go take a peak."

With that, he let go of Beth's hand and stepped over to the door of the sub car, staying within the softly lit confines of the room. He then looked out into the living area.

"Well, I see Splinter and Don; they're sitting on the couch talking," Leo announced quietly, "Mike is in what I think is the kitchen and he seems to be cooking something. As for Mr. Hothead…" he turned and looked back at the girl, "I think he's still in his room, sulking." Leo then went back over and stood in front of Beth, "I think it's safe for you to go out."

Taking a deep calming breath, she carefully stood up. However, as she looked at her friend, Beth startled. She remembered the walk back through the alley with him. She had wrapped him in her cloak to conceal his identity from any curious on-lookers. At the time, she had noted he stood a bit shorter than she did, allowing the length of her cloak to better hide his legs.

Now, however, he seemed taller; not by much, but he was definitely not as short as she once thought.

"Have – you grown?" she asked him, "You seem taller for some reason."

At first, Leo seemed puzzled, "Taller? How could I be taller? It's only been a few hours since I woke up here and from what Splinter said at that time, I had only been in the lair for a short while."

"I don't know. It's just that you seem as short as you did in the alley." Beth explained. The more she considered that memory the more she was certain of what she knew.

Leo sighed as he thought about her words. Then, he shrugged again as he remarked, "Well, I remember I wasn't walking very well, so it's possible I had slouched a bit. I would think that would give you the impression I was shorter."

Beth nodded and seemed to accept that answer, although she had to admit to liking a taller Leonardo. It made her feel safer, for some reason.

As he led her out of the subway car, she found that she had to take a half step down. Once on the platform of the abandoned station, Leo then allowed Beth to take her time towards the interior of what he had learned earlier was the Lair.

Splinter looked up in that moment and saw the two as they approached the couch. He smiled a little as he said, "I see you have chosen to join us, Beth."

"Yes, Sensei, she has." Leo answered. He noticed a nearby chair and led the girl over to it, inviting her to sit down into it.

As Beth took the proffered seat, Splinter asked her, "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful," she replied. Beth then watched as the rat rose from his seat to go into the kitchen, only a few feet away, while Leo seated himself on the couch that was next to her chair.

Over the course of the next hour, Beth learned several things. First, Splinter explained the reason for her injury, which justified why she was currently in their care.

"My sons are usually better with infiltration, though. If they had been more careful, however," he gave a pointed a look towards the kitchen where Mike busied himself with his tasks, "you would still be in your apartment, uninjured, and sleeping. Leonardo would be gone; leaving you believing he had only been a dream." The rat sighed, "I apologize for their lack of care in this matter."

Although Beth nodded acceptance to Splinter's story, she still felt a bit angry. Yet she chose to hold back on her dissatisfaction. Right now, she truly did not know how to react. Part of her was excited to be in such company, while another larger part wanted her life back, dismal as it was.

Before she could ruminate any further on that fact, however, Splinter began to share with her about his and his sons' history. As he spoke, Beth found the story intoxicating. She was enchanted to learn how the turtles and rat had mutated many years before. Equally astounding her, she was amused that they had been living in the sewers of New York City for nearly twenty-one years. The rat briefly explained how the last six years had been the most haggard, where they did frequent battle with a divergent gang of ninja thieves, called the Foot.

Quite surprised by such archaic conflicts, Beth seemed shocked that an activity of this nature would occur in and around her neighborhood, and without any evidence to that fact.

"I would think that someone would at least hear something," she remarked between sips of her tea. Beth found that she rather liked the hot beverage. She had to agree silently to Leo's comment from earlier, that the rat did indeed make a nice batch of it.

What was even more amazing to her was that, the more she conversed with these creatures, the less abnormal they seemed to be.

"I would think the noise, itself, would draw attention to you," the girl remarked. She sat her cup back down on saucer, holding the items in her lap as she conversed with her new friends.

'Hmm…" Splinter replied, "I guess you are not familiar with ninja?"

"Other than what I've seen in movies, no, I guess not." Beth admitted shyly. "Aren't they something like the Samurai?" she then asked. She was rather enjoying the socializing, something that was a rarified occurrence in her life. Other than the grocer, few people ever looked her way or even spoke to her.

"In a way, they are, since both have a high sense of honor," Splinter remarked, "But while they were in power, the Samurai were more obvious with their presence, while the ninja refrained from such attention." He paused for a moment to sip his tea and then resumed his story, "One could hear the Samurai coming for miles; their metal armor and shouts announcing their arrival long before they even reached the edge of a village. In so doing, they would cower and subdue their enemy before even making a strike. No one ever crossed a Samurai and lived to tell about it." Splinter then paused, again, for a moment to assess the girl's reaction. He was pleased to find her more curious, now, than afraid or angry. He had definitely felt her irritation from earlier, when she learned of Mike's remiss in her apartment. Yet, at the same time, he also felt her take control of it, too.

Smiling, he went on to say, "However, with ninja, one never knew they were present until it was too late. Even the Samurai feared them."

"Why would _they_ fear _them_? I thought nothing intimidated the Samurai?" Beth asked innocently, remembering one movie in particular that she had seen which detailed their history. She noticed that Leo, who was currently sitting on the couch near the rat, seemed almost as transfixed with the explanation as she was.

She remembered, then, about his amnesia. Beth sadly wondered if maybe she was responsible for it by allowing him to fall asleep in her apartment. For a moment, she felt just a bit guilty, believing that she had inadvertently harmed him in that way.

However, her attention diverted back over to Splinter, as the rat went on to explain, "The ninja practiced the art of invisibility, the art of shadow walking, of becoming one with the darkness and using it to execute their missions," he said. Looking over at Don and Leo, who were sitting next to him, and then back to the girl, he remarked, "For example, you will never hear any of my sons' footfalls or their coming and going. It is part of their training and now part of their nature. They cannot help it as they have become one with ninjitsu." He then looked at Leo deliberately and smiled, "Even my son, who does not remember who he is, cannot help but walk silently, as what was proved a moment ago when he led you out from my quarters." The rat smiled as he gazed softly back to the girl once again.

Beth really hadn't noticed, but now – with hearing Splinter's words – she did indeed recall that her footsteps were the only ones that echoed in the lair. Because of Leo's un-shoed feet, the girl only assumed that he walked quietly. Never did she believe it was something that he had to learn to do. The fact that he did so, even with his amnesia, spoke volumes to her about his training.

Just the same, as she looked at her new friend, she saw an equal amount of amazement in his face, as well. He seemed – puzzled for the moment – and a bit reflective. However, Leo remained quiet as his sensei prepared to continue with the rest of his lecture.

Mike had come into the room a moment earlier and was now sitting in one of the other chars, joining the discussion while taking temporary leave from kitchen duty. He and Don seemed to sit a little straighter as their father explained to Beth the history of what they practiced, a distinct pride etched upon their faces.

Splinter took a small breath and continued, "Back in the days of feudal Japan when the Samurai were under the authority of the Shogun, they controlled and protected the Shogun's possessions and property, which included villages and the people who lived there." The rat sighed a bit as he said, "They were often ruthless and without mercy. Many people hated them. One group was the ninja." The rat took a sip of his tea from his cup as he watched the girl. Sensing more curiosity from her than fear, he then continued, "The ninja were a mountain culture who resented such control as the Samurai wielded. Nearly a thousand years ago and in protest, they developed an art form that allowed them to counterbalance the Samurai and infiltrate their compounds unseen. While the Samurai fought in broad daylight and in full view of their enemy, in contrast, the ninja attacked from within shadows and without warning – usually at night. Many Samurai met their death without knowing they were in danger. They feared the ninja only because they could not see them. What they could not see, they could not fight, which caused them to fear; an emotion that they considered dishonorable. A Samurai was supposed to fear nothing – yet the ninja gave them reasons to. It was very humiliating for them to be compromised by those whom they considered to be a coward warrior."

Beth looked over at the other two turtles and swallowed. She remembered the sword that she had picked up in the alley and questioned, even then, if it belonged to the one she had rescued; the one she now saw as her friend. She shrunk back just a little, somewhat impressed - and a little frightened - with what Splinter had shared with her.

It seemed as if these mutants were not as harmless as she once theorized.

Finally, after a brief moment of reflection, Beth asked, "I found a sword in the alley. Did – that belong to Leo?"

Splinter nodded and simply said with his voice soft and non-threatening, "Yes."

This time, Leo looked over at the rat, quite confused. He asked, "If it's mine, then that means I'm – ninja?" Earlier, his sensei had told him only of his relationship to them as well as how they mutated. Leo was surprised to learn that they lived in an abandoned subway station, deep underground in New York City, and that they traveled through the conjoining sewer system to get around town. Yet, during his brief tutorial on what he was to them and where they lived, there wasn't any mention of what they practiced.

"Yes, it does, my son," Splinter admitted, "Yet, your memory has been impaired, so we will not expect you to be as you once were, at least, not until you can recall your previous self."

Nodding and seemingly somewhat relieved, Leo could only remark, "Good." He looked over at the girl and shrugged as he said, "I guess I just learned something, too."

Beth smiled a bit at the irony. She realized the kind soul who had befriended her, who seemed to care about her well-being, had a more dubious nature. If it were not for his amnesia, she wondered how Leo would have treated her otherwise. She knew that many victims of memory impairment often exhibited areas of their personality that lay dormant from either neglect or ignorance. Credit her brief stint as a college law student and friend to a few aspiring doctors. Quite possibly, this Leonardo had the capacity to be what he was to her now. However, maybe his training would have prevented him from expressing this part of his nature. Maybe, he would have behaved differently towards her.

Yet, part of her selfishly hoped he would never regain his memory.

As Beth tried to accept the reality of where she was and with whom, an abrupt noise ripped her attention away from her thoughts. Snapping her head around towards the sound and to her left, she glanced over to the line of four subway cars. Emerging from the farthest one and at the opposite end from where Splinter's car resided, she noticed a large green shape rise from its depths. She watched with great trepidation as the turtle in red stood and stretched a little.

Nevertheless, the instant Raphael saw the girl he ceased his exertion and scowled at her.

Beth shuddered at the sight of the hulking form of a turtle. His very countenance, his swagger, and the dagger-like look he shot in her direction made the girl cringe into the back of her chair. Considering her own personal demons, she couldn't help but cower a little, unsure of the turtle's intent. Beth saw him smirk at her, obviously aware of her insecurities, but it did not cause him to hesitate as he began to march towards the living area.

Yet, she knew one thing was certain; she had insulted him earlier. She knew she had to apologize.

As Raphael made his way towards the kitchen, the girl tried to stand up in order to address him properly. Leo saw Beth's attempt to extricate her chair. Quickly standing, he took her right arm to steady her.

However, Raph was in a foul mood, a very foul mood indeed. He despised anyone assuming that he and his family were stupid animals and the woman had certainly made her opinion quite clear on that. Consequently and as he came up to where she was, he rounded on her, completely ignoring Leonardo and, most especially, the warning glare from his father.

"Look, _broad_," he hissed menacingly, "just so ya know, we aren't stupid, we aren't dumb animals, and so if ya think ya can insult me again like ya did earlier, ya better think twice 'bout'it, cuz I ain't gonna put up with it if ya do." He then proceeded towards the kitchen, leaving Beth in trembling fear behind him. Unbeknownst to him, Raphael had sufficiently quelled whatever courage she had mustered in an attempt to apologize to him.

Leonardo, however, suddenly riled against the obvious aggressive posturing from his assumed brother. He had sensed a sincere regret in her, yet felt the girl's quaking as Raphael fired off his warning. In that moment, as Raph finished his threat and walked off and towards the other room, Leo became intensely protective of Beth. His own ire rose above his otherwise calm demeanor.

Without hesitating, the turtle in blue stepped away from the girl. Beth was briefly startled with the swiftness of his reaction. Consequently, she stumbled back against the front of the chair, abruptly slumping down into it.

What happened next shocked her with a resounding force.

As Leo reached out like a striking snake and grabbed one of Raphael's arms, he roughly jerked his brother forcibly around. Yet, before Raph or anyone else in his family could react, Leo decked the red-bandanna turtle with a sucker punch.

The force sent the temperamental turtle careening the rest of the way into the kitchen and in the next moment, the lair erupted into a torrent of shouts to 'stand down' and a flurry of angry fists.

Beth, meanwhile, had gone catatonic – again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**_Comments_**_: Ah, poor Beth. Seems these 'cats' won't go away. LOL. Anyway, baby steps to recovery take a bit of time. At least, in the turtle's lair, she is safe – with exception to Raphael. Poor guy; we just have so much fun making him a meanie. But, there are reasons, so don't go hard on him or me for his unusually rude behavior. There are a few more chapters to flesh out that problem. In the meantime, thanks to everyone who reveiwed:0)_


	12. Battling Demons

**_DISCLAIMER_**_ – Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I just love writing about the turtles. I don't own them, but then some of my best fun is playing with someone else's toys. _

_As a side-note, for some reason, this chapter was hard to write. I wasn't completely satisfied with it, but - then - I rarely am with any of my writings. That's why I often re-tool some of them. So, with that said, I am open to any reasonable critiques and suggestions. Of course, I always am. -_

**Chapter 12 – Battling Demons**

Because Splinter and Mike had rushed into the kitchen to break up the fight between Leo and Raph, Donnie was the first to notice Beth's mental stupor.

He wasn't too surprised that she had lapsed into it, either.

Considering the girl's old scars, he was certain she had gone through some type of trauma at one time or another. With Leo's violent rebuttal to Raph's confrontation with her, Beth's reaction was typical of someone who had gone through a horrific experience. Her catatonic state, coupled with the way she had reacted to seeing Splinter, only confirmed Don's previous assumptions that the girl was suffering from some sort of psychosis.

While his sensei and Mike attempted to quell the battle in the other room, Don slowly eased over to the end of the couch next to where Beth sat rigid in her chair.

She had her back straight, with her arms lying along the tops of her thighs. Her hands hung over the edges of her knees, palms turned down, and she was shaking just a little. Don gently reached out and lightly touched Beth on the top of her right hand, the one closest to him. He then, ever so slightly, caressed the area where her knuckles were.

As softly as he could, yet loud enough to be heard above the din coming from the kitchen, he called out to her, "Beth…Beth, you need to snap out of it. You're safe here. Leo only tried to defend you is all. No one's going to harm you," he said soothingly. He watched as her eyes remained fixed on some point in the lair as she stared straight ahead, unblinking. He then took her right hand in his. Tenderly, he massaged it, running his fingers over the length of hers in an attempt to stimulate enough of a sensation to break her cycle of catatonia.

She blinked once.

It gave Donatello hope that he was on the correct path to re-awakening her. Yet, he was certain the ruckus in the kitchen was not helping matters any. With shouts coming from Splinter, demanding that Raphael 'stand down', and the cacophony of noise coming from the two embattled brothers, Don knew it would be impossible to break the girl's fixation while she was still in the living area.

Sighing, he knew that he would have to get Beth clear of the brawl in order to arouse her.

"Beth, let's stand up," Don softly coaxed, taking her one hand that he held in his as he gently slipped his other arm around her back. When he found her resisting just a little, he exerted a bit more insistence with his uplift.

However, the moment he did, it seemed to be the one act to trigger Beth's reawakening.

All the same, it was not the kind of emergence that Don had desired.

Jerking violently back and staring at him in abject horror, Beth's eyes suddenly went wide with fright. Then, an almost primal scream emanated deep from within her. Jumping up out of her seat and ripping her right hand out from Don's grasp, she jerked her left around towards him. Now, she flailed at him with both hands in a frantic windmill-style fashion, while kicking at him at the same time with her feet.

Don expertly ducked and dodged the girl's wild, attempt to strike him, efficiently avoiding her nails as she tried to find purchase along his plastron. He knew that Beth was oblivious to what she was doing. Nevertheless, he also knew he had to contain her in order to keep the girl from harming herself.

Before he could, however, Beth began to scramble backwards as she tried to get away.

The expression on her face was one of pure terror, almost as if she were seeing Don as someone else entirely. As she fought her subconscious miscreants, she crawled up onto her chair. Finding the back of the seat prohibitive to her escape, she scaled it, only to end up forcing the chair over and onto the floor with a resounding crash.

She tumbled awkwardly along the ground, sprawling like a rag doll as the force of impact silenced her verbal outbursts.

As Don watched her clamber up over the chair and as the chair fell backwards, he quickly moved around the toppled furniture to retrieve the girl. The last thing Don wanted was for Beth to hurt herself and, in the process, force her wound to open once again. Considering her present emotional state, he doubted very much if the girl would be as cooperative in letting him re-wrap her a second time.

Meanwhile, Mike was in the kitchen, trying to intervene between his two embattled brothers while, at the same time, keeping a safe distance. He watched as Leo and Raphael punched and slugged at each other furiously. Both found their mark against their opponent more frequently than not, which fueled their fight even more.

Yet, because of his wounds and, more than likely, because of his amnesia, Leonardo's usually quick reflexes were slower than they would be normally. Consequently, his bandaged arms and legs were beginning to bleed again.

Now, more than before, Mike became increasingly concerned.

It seemed that Splinter felt the same way, as well. Trying to distract the situation, his cane found its mark on Raphael more often than on Leo.

"RAPAHEL!" the rat yelled, "I ORDER YOU TO STAND DOWN!" he insisted, quickly maneuvering in when the opportunity presented itself and smacking Raph behind his knees.

Growling, Raph only fought harder, snarling in pent-up frustration.

Initially, Leonardo did not know what had possessed him to clock his brother in the jaw. He only knew at the time that the girl seemed threatened. He had become her protector of sorts, or so it seemed to him. When Raph postured himself so aggressively in front of Beth, Leo's reaction almost seemed automatic. It was almost as if it was customary for him to do so.

Just the same, the ensuing brawl with Raphael took the blue-banded turtle completely off-guard.

Now, Leo was trying to defend himself more than trying to protect the girl. As it was, something deep inside the turtle emboldened him to press onwards; to get this one called Raphael to tire of the fight. All the same, the longer they 'went at it' the harder the one in red continued to fight. Consequently, Leonardo was the one who began to tire first. With his injuries and his memory-lapse in ninja fighting, his lack of tactical strategy impeded his stamina.

Unlike Leo, though, Mike knew all too well that once Raph was 'rage engaged' – as he liked to put it – there wasn't any stopping him, at least, not until something of greater distraction, other than a walking cane, interrupted him.

Such as a blood-curdling scream.

In that moment of Beth's ear-piercing shriek, the sound cut through the anger and offense that fueled Raphael's fury. As his mind snapped back to reality, he finally saw the now-growing spread of pink as it stained the bandages along his brother's exposed arms and legs. As Leonardo threw another long fisted reach in his direction, Raph quickly dodged to the left to avoid it.

As Leo's arm fully extended and as he anticipated hitting his target, the target suddenly disappeared right in front of him. That alone surprised him. Yet, Leonardo's action also forced him completely off balance, causing him to fall forward and towards the edge of the kitchen counter. However and just before he would have crashed headlong into it, a pair of strong arms wrapped around Leo from behind, abruptly stopping his descent.

"It's done, bro. Stop!" Raph panted loudly, grimacing as he finally realized the extent of the kind of pummeling he had given Leo. The fresh bruises along his brother's arms and chest were a testament that Raphael had found his mark more frequently than Leo had.

Just the same, his brother still struggled violently, caught up in the heat of the fight, yet just as confused by it as he was initially. Finally, after a moment of trying unsuccessfully to twist out from Raphael's strong embrace, the blue-banded turtle surrendered. Now, he slumped in his brother's arms, gasping for breath as he did. He was spent and exhausted – and he hurt, too; in more places than he did before. However, due to his physical exertion, Leo's headache returned. It throbbed painfully, making him dizzy and almost ill as a result.

In the next moment, he felt dizzy and then nausea washed over him. As it did and before he could say anything, he retched up whatever tea he had ingested earlier.

All Raph could do was to hold onto him and groan miserably.

Mike, by now, had heard Beth's scream and, seeing that his other two brothers had finally stopped their fighting, turned his attention to the girl.

Don was currently struggling with Beth as she further resisted his attempts to help her. Although her screaming had stopped the moment she had fallen, she was still physically resisting the turtle.

"Just let her go, Don!" Mike suggested anxiously.

"She's not fully conscious, Mike," his brother explained in exasperation and then pointedly said, "If I do, she might try to run. I'm afraid she believes she's somewhere else entirely." Donatello had Beth in his arms, now. However, she was still flailing about, batting him repeatedly in the head with her hands as he attempted to latch on to them with one of his.

"Well, what are you going to do with her, then?" his brother asked sarcastically, "Tie her up?"

"Might not - be a **bad** idea - for now!" Don grunted through clenched teeth. He finally succeeded in grabbing her hands, effectively keeping Beth from hitting him further. The girl was still wreathing in his embrace, however, kicking out at unseen foes and monsters. Puffing from physical exertion, Don grouched, "If she doesn't calm down, _soon_, she's going to make things _worse_!"

"Well, sounds to me like it's time to sedate her." Mike declared good-naturedly. He then sprinted off towards one of the sub cars, where they had transformed part of it into a supply room. The remaining half was their designated bathroom, complete with bathtub, sink, and other amenities.

By this time, Leonardo had calmed down enough to where Raph could let go of him. It was then that the red-banded turtle rubbed his now-bruised chin.

"Ya might have fergotten who ya are, Leo, but I don't' think yer fists have," he growled as he stepped cautiously away from him. He looked down at the ground and, seeing the mess that Leo had made, groaned, "Seems ya have some cleanin' up ta do, too," and as he looked at his own feet, "an' I guess I do, as well. Yuck."

Dazed by the whole ordeal, Leonardo turned around, bewilderment and fatigue edging his words, "I – I don't know what happened to me. I just – hit you!" he stammered out in shock. He, too, felt the newer emerging bruises along his body, noticing for the first time that some of his wrappings seemed tinged with pink.

Chuckling sardonically, Raph shook his head as he turned away, "And kept on hitting me. Fer the record, Leo, it hasn't been th'first time, either." As Raph pivoted to exit the kitchen, his father stood in his way. Noticing the rat's piercing dark eyes addressing him, the turtle stopped and exclaimed, "Sorry, Sensei. But, he hit first."

"You could have chosen not to _reply_!" the rat exclaimed between clenched teeth.

"True, but I was hope'n to knock some mem'ry back int'em." Raphael smirked, cocking his head a little.

"And - did you succeed?" Splinter asked sardonically, his nose up in obvious disdain.

"Well," as his son looked back over at Leo, "if ya wanted t'find out if he can still r'member how to fight," then returned his gaze to his father as he said, "ya, I think I did!"

Splinter grumped as he firmly tapped his cane against the concrete floor of the kitchen, "Considering your brother's injuries, Raphael, I would think you would have shown more restraint."

Shrugging his shoulders, Raph gave a short bow and then continued out of the kitchen, mumbling, "Yeah, one would think, eh, Sensei." As he came into the living area and noticed Don grappling with Beth, he laughed, "Hey, Don, need a hand?" and then began to clap. "Guess yer out-matched bro and by a woman, no less." Receiving a frustrated glare from his genius brother, Raph laughed as he worked around the two and proceeded towards the bathroom. "Need to check out these bruises and see if I'm gonna need plastic surgery or somethin'." He sniggered as he went, obviously enjoying the fallout from his fight with Leo.

"Leonardo," Splinter asked as he walked up to his son in the kitchen, "you need to have Donatello check your bandages. I fear the fight between you and Raphael has re-opened some of your wounds."

"Yes, I can see that, Sensei," Leo frowned as he looked over his injuries. He then glanced up at the rat and attempted to read his expression, finding the task daunting at best. Just the same, he felt truly awful for how he had behaved and lowered his eyes away from Splinter, "I'm – sorry for hitting Raphael. I – I don't know what happened." Looking back up at his sensei, Leo went on, "It was as if 'something' forced me to. I thought how he talked to Beth was rude. I could – sense that she didn't have any malice, in fact, while we were still in your quarters, she felt truly afraid of him."

"Yes, my son, I know; I sensed it, too." Splinter sighed as he studied Leonardo for a moment and then remarked, "I will talk to your brother about this, but right now, you need to help Donatello calm the girl so he can take care of you."

"Yes," Leo admitted, "I'll go and see what I can do." He then walked out of the kitchen and into the living area of the lair. What he saw pierced his heart terribly.

Beth was now in tears, crying almost pitifully as her catatonic psychosis rendered her to near collapse. She wasn't struggling as much, since Mike had just returned from the infirmary and had darted her with a diluted version of their tranquilizer drug. Don was just in the process of carrying her back to Splinter's car, when Leo approached him.

"Let me," he asked.

"No, Leo, you're as much in need of medical care as she is. I'll get her situated in bed and have Mikey watch her. Then, I'll take care of you. Once I'm done, you can relieve Mike, okay?" Don suggested.

Leo nodded, but then grimaced as he asked, "I wouldn't mind some more aspirin, either. That headache's back again."

"No doubt!" Don mused dryly as he left Leo to take Beth back to Splinter's sub car.


	13. Awakening Hope

**_DISCLAIMER - _**_My apologies for taking so long in updating this story.__ As some of you might know, another story was born and, with ideas for it popping like popcorn in my head, I had to run with it. Fortunately, I was able to do what has become rare for me – I finished it and in under a month, no less:0) And it wasn't even a one-shot! _

_Anyway, as always, I only own Beth and the idea behind the story. Thanks goes to Leo Oneal who inspired it and gave me a kick in the pants to get it going. This chapter is a little tamer than that previous one, if only to set things in motion. It's also the shortest one I've written, so far – for Butterfly, that is. _

_Enjoy. _

**Chapter 13 Awakening Hope**

Beth stirred and found, much to her surprise, that she was back in bed again. Deep under the covers, she slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Quickly recognizing that she was in Splinter's room once more, she couldn't quite remember how she had managed to get there. With her memory stunted for the moment, Beth also felt a bit unsettled. It was almost as if she had had another one of her episodes. Had she gone catatonic again? Compounding her fuzzy recollection, she felt just a little muddled, as if someone had medicated her. It almost reminded her of when she first woke up in the mutants' home.

As she looked around, she discovered Leonardo sitting next to the bed in the one chair the room afforded. It was obvious he had moved it from where it was originally, to be closer to her. She smiled a little, wondering about him. With his head tilted forward and down and his eyes closed, his chin was currently resting in the center top niche of his plastron. He slouched in the chair just a little, with his arms folded in front of him, his breathing soft and shallow, as if he were napping. With his legs outstretched and with one crossed over the other at the ankles, it was obvious he had been sitting there for a while. She saw the various bandages and recognized that they seemed fresher than before. Had Donatello re-bandaged him, she asked silently.

Then, Leo's eyes opened. Seeing that Beth was awake, he smiled over at her. "How're you feeling?"

Shrugging under the blanket, the girl replied, "Fine, I guess." She then scrunched up her face as she asked him, "What happened? How did I get here? The last thing I remembered I was in the other room."

Sighing, Leo replied, "Well, Don said that when Raphael and I started fighting, you sort of went..." he furrowed his eye ridges as if trying to think of the right word, "What did he say? Catatonic? Yeah, you sort of went blank on us." He then apologized, "I'm sorry for reacting the way I did. I feel kind of responsible for what happened to you."

"Quite honestly, I don't remember much. Sometimes I can recall what triggers my episodes, and sometimes I can't," Beth replied.

Closing her eyes, however, and groaning inwardly, it was her worse fear to have an episode in front of someone. She then swallowed as she felt a whimper come to her throat. Beth tried to ward it off, to suppress it, but it did little good. Unable to help herself, she suddenly began to cry. Turning to face the wall and with her back to Leo, her body trembled under the blanket as she sobbed.

"Hey, it's all right, you're fine now," Leo leaned over and placed a comforting hand across the back of her head. He gently caressed her hair, stroking her head tenderly as he soothed, "You didn't know what you were doing and no one was hurt, so, everything's okay."

"Nothing's okay, Leonardo. I'm not okay. I just want this to stop. I want to be normal again. I want my _life_ back." Beth wept inconsolably.

Leo didn't know what to say to her; he could only mollify Beth's emotional outburst with his caring touch. As he stroked her hair, he sighed, for he could easily relate to the girl's lamentations. He, too, wanted to get his life back, to retrieve his lost memories that teased and tickled his mind with sporadic images that bedeviled him. It began with the conversation Splinter had earlier with Beth, when the rat explained to her their origins and even admitting to being ninja. To learn of that, had amazed Leo a great deal, and worried him, as well.

Were they killers?

Then, the fight with Raphael had actually triggered recollections that Leo could only surmise as his lost memories. While he napped beside the bed and waited for Beth to reawaken, he had had visions of running at night along the roofline of buildings. He 'felt' the wind blowing against his body as he raced through the city far above the ground. Moreover, conversations came back to him that he'd had with various members of his family, most of them between Splinter and himself. Some were with Raphael and most of those were argumentative at best. Yet, with the conversations disjointed and uncoordinated with one another, it made it very difficult for Leo to understand their meaning.

Worst of all, were the disturbing pictures of fights. Playing like a movie, he saw battles with opponents dressed in dark clothing from head to toe and who wielded swords as they slashed out at him. He, too, held similar weapons. Those were the nightmares, the unsettled memories he would rather not recall. Leo wondered, then, if what Splinter told Beth about their many battles with the Foot, if his words had influenced his thoughts. It frightened him, yet – at the same time – intrigued him a great deal.

"I – understand how you feel," Leo admitted softly, "I, too, had a life – here, in this subway station. But, I can't remember any of it," he said sadly.

Beth shifted around in the bed and turned back to look at him, "I can remember mine, though. Believe me; sometimes not knowing what you lost is better."

Smiling, Leo concurred, "I guess that makes sense. Still…" he looked away for a moment, "I have this feeling that my position in the family was an important one." Leo gave Beth a sideways glance as he grinned a bit, "and I think that Raph's not happy that I don't remember what that was."

As she slipped her arm beneath her and propped herself up with her elbow, she asked, "Why is that?"

Sighing and casting a gaze out the compartment's window, he explained, "Well, a while ago, he and Splinter got into an argument about something called 'patrol'. I guess Raphael didn't want to go out yet, he said something about it being 'too soon'. But…" Now Leo looked back at Beth as he continued, giving her a more serious expression, "Splinter didn't want to take any chances."

"Could it be about this gang, this Foot gang he talked about, before – my episode?" Beth asked. She was feeling much better, now, not as weepy as she did moments earlier. Talking to Leonardo seemed to calm her. She was relieved to find that it was easy being around him and talking with him. In a rarified moment, Beth felt a bit more alive than she had in a very long time.

"Might be, but then they mentioned your apartment, too." Leo shrugged.

Beth's eyes went wide as she exclaimed, "Do you think someone knows that I'm missing?"

"Ah," Leo held up a finger as if in proclamation, "That's what Splinter was worried about. Do you live with anyone?" he asked her.

Shaking her head, Beth replied, "No, I live alone. I'm kind of a loner; I don't have friends."

"Any family, then?" Leo asked as he cocked his head in query. Yet, as he watched her, he noticed almost right away a sudden change in her demeanor.

Beth cowed back away from him, the thought of 'family' affecting her more than she desired. At first she rushed her words, "No, my mom died when I was a little girl and my dad – " she hesitated a little, her father's memory triggering more emotion in her, causing her voice to soften to a near whisper as she whimpered, "he – he died about – five years ago, after…" Then, she quieted, going mute as if someone had switched her off.

"Beth, are you all right?" Leo asked worriedly. He noticed the now-familiar glazed look come over the girl's face, her eyes becoming fixated once again. "BETH!" he nearly shouted at her.

The sudden rise in volume of Leo's voice broke through the girl's emerging psychotic state. She startled just a little, her eyes dilating in surprise as she nearly jumped. She looked over at the turtle and knew instantly that she had almost succumbed to yet another attack. They were happening all too frequently, now, it seemed to her, and that worried Beth a great deal. Tears now filled her eyes as she contemplated what it might mean, fearful of possibly losing her mind completely.

With her voice shaky and trembling, "I'm afraid, Leo, I can't control myself, I don't know what to do," she began to weep once more.

Leo slipped off the chair and over onto the bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her protectively. However, in reflex and considering how she hated to be touched, Beth stiffened up instinctively and tried to pull away. Yet, despite her attempts, Leo refused to let her go.

"Beth, it's me, Leo…I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe here, remember," he whispered softly to her. "I won't let anything hurt you, okay?" he soothed.

Beth tried to relax in his embrace, she tried to focus on his words and believe them. Yet, she recalled Splinter's explanation about what ninja did and that he and his family were ninja. "But, you used to fight and y-you used a sword and there was - blood on that sword and…"

Sighing, Leo interrupted her, "Beth, I don't know about the sword or the blood, but I don't' think I would hurt someone like you. I think - no, I know that I would try to protect you. If that were not true, don't you think the rest of my family would keep me from you?"

He could feel her shudder against him in uncertainty as he continued to hold her. She had stopped resisting him, now, and seemed to be listening, instead. Her head was against his plastron with his chin resting on top and nestled into her hair. Beth sniffed a couple of times and then she shrugged, "I – I guess so."

"As far as controlling your episodes," Leo suggested, "maybe Splinter can help you. He talked to me a while ago, while Donnie was redressing your wound, that they practice a form of meditation. He told me that it might help restore my memory, so it might help you to learn how to control your attacks, too."

Hope sprouting just a little within her, Beth pulled away from him and asked in almost disbelief as she looked into his eyes, "Y-you think so? Can he help me?"

"Well, it certainly can't hurt and it's better than not doing anything at all," Leo smiled. He looked at her and saw past her disheveled and un-kept appearance, noting the gentle attractiveness of the girl's face. Warmth filled him and in that moment, he relished that she was in his arms. Although he had only known her for a short while, Beth's fragile mental state and his need to protect her affected him deeply. Although he could not explain it nor did he care to try, Leo knew only one thing.

Beth needed him and, for some inexplicable reason, he needed her as well.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**_COMMENTS_**_: I'm so grateful for all who have read this little fic and for those who took the time to comment. Thanks!_


	14. A Decision Made

**_DISCLAIMER – _**_Nope, I'm still a turtle-less lass, although I do have four magnet turtles gracing my refrigerator that I bought in the Philippines last year! That and a plushy green sea turtle I bought at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach last Sunday (5/15/05!) My daughter also took a cool photo of one that came right up to her, mugging for her cell-camera, no less! I'm hoping it turns out where I can upload it onto my fan fiction site. They're very sweet creatures!_

**Chapter 14 – A Decision Made**

Once Beth had calmed down, Leo was able to convince her to come out of Splinter's room. However, the moment they both stepped outside the car and into the subway station, they quickly noticed the overwhelming quiet. Almost right away, they saw that the kitchen was empty, as was the living area.

Although he had only been in the lair for less than a day, Leo had already recognized certain habits pertaining to his family. Usually, there was an undercurrent of noise, either from Mike's stereo or the television. However, the quiet in the expansive room showed an absence of both, added proof that at least Mike had left the lair.

Moreover, with the lack of computer noises coming from Donnie's car, it seemed far too silent for him to be present, as well. Leo had found that Don preferred sitting in front of his computer screen rather than socializing very much, either that or mending what wounds and injuries Leo and Beth had sustained. Therefore, the constant click clack click of the keyboard had become like white noise to him, with its absence now quite noticeable.

As for Raphael, Leonardo figured that, if the other two had left the subway station, his more temperamental brother had probably gone with them, as well.

With the ever-enveloping stillness growing with each step that they took, both Beth and Leo seemed to hold their breath in anticipation. They each strained their ears to hear even the slightest noise in hopes of discovering that they truly weren't as alone as they thought. As they walked further into the noiseless lair and as her anxieties heightened, Beth gripped Leo's hand a little bit more. He turned and smiled reassuringly at her, tightening his hold of the girl's fingers as he did.

"It's okay, Beth," he soothed, "I'm sure they left us a note or something."

She nodded wordlessly, yet Beth couldn't help but be a little anxious. For her, it was bad enough being in such a strange place as the abandoned subway station, but to be there alone, even with Leo, worried her. If these four turtles and one rat had become as big as they were, what other mutated 'things' might be prowling outside the station. What were the chances that the same green goop the rat said had changed them hadn't affected other creatures living in the tunnels, too?

Were there giant cockroaches roaming the underground nether reaches of New York City? All of what Splinter shared with Beth earlier, before her latest catatonic episode, had finally caught up with the girl. It was no surprise, then, that her imagination wondered about a great many things.

However, while she pondered these giant thoughts and to no one in particular, Beth heard Leo say aloud, "Is there anyone here?"

"I am, my son," a familiar voice sounded out.

Relieved that they were not as alone as she had feared, Beth watched as Master Splinter emerged from the infirmary. For the moment, she quickly forgot about her imaginings as the rat strode towards them.

As he came up to them, she saw that in one hand he held a folded towel topped with an equally folded washcloth, while across his other arm lay a thick, cottony robe. Faded green in color with long sleeves and draping, it was an obvious dumpster rescue. As she looked closer, Beth noticed that the garment was still in decent enough shape for use, despite its well-worn appearance. She wondered why the rat would have such an item, when it he was already wearing a kimono. Yet, before she could further that thought, her friend addressed his master.

"Where are the others, Father?" Leo asked as he and Beth stopped and stood before the over-grown rodent.

"They are canvassing the area around Beth's apartment. Before we can return her, we must make certain that her absence has not generated concern," Splinter then looked over at Beth, "My dear, we have a fully functional bathroom." As he passed the towel, washcloth, and robe over to her, he smiled, "maybe you would like to freshen up?"

Unfortunately, Splinter's nose twitched a bit as he said this – and Beth didn't miss seeing his reaction, either. She knew exactly what he meant. She had seen far too many people do likewise whenever they were in close proximity to her. It was obvious to her, now, that despite her benefactor's living conditions, certain smells were repugnant to them.

Consequently, her cheeks reddened considerably.

She quickly nodded then, ducking her head a little in chagrin, "Yes, I - I think that would be a good thing to do," and released her hold of Leo's hand in order to receive the items the rat offered to her.

"Do you need any help?" Leo asked innocently as he looked her way, more concerned with the girl's injury than what his words implied.

Clearly shocked by the comment, both Beth and Splinter glanced as one towards the turtle, their eyes both widened ever so slightly in surprise. Suppressing a giggle, the girl quickly shook her head, a slight smile creasing her face, "No, no that's all right, Leo. I'll manage fine on my own." However, as she noticed Splinter's eyes roll in exasperation and saw a smile forming along his snout, Beth couldn't help but laugh under her breath.

"Kids!" the rat remarked softly, and then Splinter commented, "My son, maybe you would rather make us something to eat while Beth is cleaning up?"

Although his thoughts were far from such implications, Leo's face reddened when he realized his faux pas. He nodded eagerly, "Yeah, ah, maybe that would be better."

"Indeed," the rat commented dryly, shaking his head. As Leo turned aside and made for the kitchen, Splinter remarked to Beth, "Be careful of your wound, my child. It is best if the dressing does not get wet at this time. If it does, we can always re-bandage you again."

Smiling, Beth remarked, "I will and thank you. I won't be long," and then she quickly headed over to the appointed train car.

The girl couldn't help but notice that she was feeling much better. Moreover, where Leo had been so supportive and understanding, her outlook on things seemed to be improving, as well. She thought to herself that it had been far too long since she had last trusted or even cared for anyone. Splinter reminded her of her own father, who had been wise and very patient. Yet the biggest impact for her was the memory of Leo's embrace. Remembering how caring he sounded and the softness in his voice, Beth felt something that she hadn't experienced in a very long time.

She felt safe.

Just the same, she thought to herself,_ "Maybe he's right, maybe if I at least try to find a solution to this problem of mine, I can get better!"_

It wasn't lost on her that the first step in that direction might very well be in how she took care of herself, too. For five years, she never had any real reason to do so. Yet, with her new friends and especially with her growing relationship with Leonardo, an excuse to do otherwise now presented itself.

With a deep breathy sigh, she approached the 'bathroom' side of the subway car and made up her mind to follow through with that intent.

In the same way as it was with Splinter's room, she saw the carriage partitioned in the middle, thereby allowing dual usage for the car. The left side adequately housed the infirmary, while the right side hosted the bathroom, complete with blue curtains drawn closed for privacy. As Beth gingerly stepped through the opened doorway and into the room, she immediately took in her surroundings. With a single bare light bulb hanging from the central portion of the ceiling to a wall sconce centralized over the mirror above the sink, she found the room adequately lit.

As far as the room's appointments were concerned, however, where she entered the room and directly in front of her across from the door, stood a battered pine cabinet with two sinks. To its left was a toilet, and then next to the commode was a footed bathtub, situated up against the room's partition and complete with a wrap-around shower curtain. The plastic curtain hung by way of ball-bearing chains slipped into a track that ran along the ceiling above the tub. The track followed the contours of the vessel, allowing anyone who happened to be bathing complete privacy. As Beth looked closer at it, the shower curtain had an oceanic theme, with a fish print gracing the blue, waterproof material.

She smiled. Even though she knew they probably had acquired the curtain from someone's trash, it seemed cute that they would have something so whimsical gracing their washroom.

The tub was rather quaint, though, with its footed bottom echoing a by-gone era. Beth was certain that the tub was original to the time that such things were popular. Yet, with the porcelain worn off in several places, like the robe that she held in her arms, it, too, was an obvious 'recovered' treasure.

On the floor in front of the tub was a rug. Elongated in shape and orange in color, a print of small yellow ducks decorated the top of the worn, yet cushiony material. Beth smiled and shook her head. Considering the tenants to this strange place, she was rather amused with the way they decorated the room. Then, again, they were obviously limited to what they could find, so – quite possibly – they had to make due, regardless.

As for the commode, it, too, had seen better days. Yet for all intent and purposes, it seemed to be intact enough to service the needs of the clan. Beth then wondered how they were able to flush away the waste, until she remembered Splinter telling her earlier, before she went catatonic, that the sewer system ran underneath the subway station. Shaking her head in amazement, she figured the turtles had probably tapped into it in some fashion.

_"Makes sense, of course,"_ she laughed quietly, although she was still wondrously astonished by their creativity.

Lastly and standing right across from her alongside the opposite wall, stood the cabinet with its dual sinks. Above it and obscuring one of the subway car windows, hung the mirror. Although cracked along the bottom, it provided adequate reflection for anyone needing such amenities.

Although it was perfectly clear to her that everything in the room was second-hand acquisitions, Beth had to admit that the bathroom was serviceable enough to provide some measure of comfort. It was obvious to Beth that these creatures understood the necessities for civilized living and had gone to great lengths to provide as much for their home. For that, she was quite grateful.

Turning and looking at the doorway, now, Beth was happy to find that it afforded a similar pocket door that her benefactor's bedroom had. She quickly closed it and then proceeded to clean herself up.

It took her a bit of time for her to work around the bandage, but when she finished bathing, Beth felt immeasurably refreshed. Where it had been over a month since she had last bathed, she was certain she had made more than a strong impression on her hosts. The fact that Leo had remained by her side throughout her stay, so far, said quite a bit about his integrity, too. A lesser man – and Beth chuckled at the irony – would have dumped her. Yet, despite the obvious species differences between them, Beth was beginning to feel a closeness to him that dangerously edged affection.

However, as she now stood in front of the cracked mirror, she frowned at herself.

_"How can I have feelings for him when he's not even human?"_ Her thoughts became a jumble of confusion that bordered on excitement and fear. When she had found him lying in the alley, injured and nearly unconscious, she initially felt pity for him. Had his family rescued him in the way that Splinter had shared with her, she probably would have never given Leonardo a second thought, other than wonder to where he had disappeared. Still, that was not the case and as it was, she had come to appreciate him, drawn to his pleasant sounding voice and his kind personality.

_"If he was human, rather than this mutated turtle creature, would I still have feelings for him, though?"_ she wondered silently. Beth knew she trusted very few people, if any. More than likely, she would have been more fearful rather than less had she woken up in the company of humans. Contrarily, these creatures were so unlike anything she had ever known, that they almost begged to be seen as trustworthy.

Still, Beth stood there at the counter, staring at her reflection as she dried her hair with one of the towels, all the while in thoughtful contemplation. She recognized that in just a short amount of time, this very strange family had touched an area deep inside of her, an area of emptiness that they had been filling up since she had awakened in the lair.

And, Leonardo had affected her most especially.

Sighing, though, Beth felt a wave of anxiety as her imagination carried over to possible future events.

_"Could something like him love someone like me?" _

The very fact that Leo was reptilian should have repulsed her, but as it was, his uniqueness only intrigued her more. She wondered if that was because Splinter and his family could not trust the outside world any more than she could. Maybe their kindred lifestyle of hiding away from humanity in the same way as she hid, made it possible for her to understand them, thereby allowing her to consider such thoughts.

It seemed that they had too much in common.

_"Well, if that's true and if I want to get back to normal again…"_ she mused soberly, _"…then, whatever friendship Leo and I end up developing is already doomed!"_

Sighing, Beth shook her head and realized that she had a very difficult choice to make. To heal and conquer her demons would mean leaving behind and forgetting about the turtle clan. Maintaining even the slightest connection with them could cause them problems; maybe even endanger them. Forgetting about them might end up being the wiser thing to do, but it would also mean that she would have to sacrifice whatever friendship she gained with Leonardo.

Just thinking about it, though, brought tears to her eyes. He had genuinely affected her with his kindness, his soft-spoken words of encouragement that bolstered her insecurities. The way that he had unconditionally accepted her, staying beside her despite how badly she smelled, impressed Beth very much.

_"If only he could be human!"_ she lamented sadly, solemnly admitting, _"Then again, I think had he been human, I would have been more afraid!"_ Despite the obvious problems, though, she had to realize a painful truth, _"Nevertheless, I have become tired of living the way I have." _

_"Still, maybe there's a way that I can heal and live a normal life again and still remain friends with these creatures, or even with Leo?"_ Beth shrugged and closed her eyes, letting out a shuddered breath, _"But what kind of future would that mean for us, even if it could happen. He's – just too different." _

Beth had to force herself to push back her unhappy thoughts. It was doing her little good and if she kept focusing on them, she just knew another episode would raise its ugly head! So, she tried to focus on the present task. With her hair nearly dry, now, she looked at her self in the mirror and almost barked out a laugh. "Goodness, talk about a fright wig!" she exclaimed softly. Her hair seemed to be in complete disorder, all frizzy and jutting out in several different directions at once. "I'm certainly ready for Halloween, that's for sure!" she smiled wryly.

Exploring the various cabinet drawers for brushes and hair products, she quickly found a shoebox size container that housed a variety of brushes and combs. To her, the collection seemed like an oxymoron of supplies.

_"Hmm…"_ she mused, "_I wonder if they're in the habit of having visitors?" _It seemed rather like a contradiction in terms for turtles to have brushes or any need for them. Then, as she inspected one of the brushes, she noted a bit of fur embedded into the bristles. Smiling, now, Beth realized that, the rat would obviously have need of such implements. "Of course!" she giggled, "he's the only one of the five with fur; he'd have to brush himself once in a while."

Finding a fur-free brush and after a few moments of gently dragging the implement through her hair, Beth now smiled at her reflection. Where she had almost forgotten what her true hair color was, she suddenly recognized the now-familiar light brown tresses. With it now free from knots and tangles, her locks flowed attractively down her back. Although it was still slightly wet, Beth shook and scrunched her hair with her hands, allowing its natural wave to regenerate itself.

"I'm definitely in need of a trim, but considering how long it's been since the last time, it doesn't look too shabby," she muttered softly.

Just the same, as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she thought back to Splinter's remarks and his twitching nose. Right then, it seemed to hit her all at once and she soon realized, with much embarrassment, how dismal her life had actually become. She blushed a bit as she remembered the way that she had probably smelled to him. "What a poor commentary I've made for my own species!"

The girl realized that, despite her fears of losing contact with her friends, that maybe it was time for her to get on with life.

With the tattered green chenille robe hugging her and with her dirty clothes piled up by the bathroom door, Beth silently hoped that they had a washer and dryer, too. The fact they had towels and bed sheets that would obviously need washing, Beth figured that they would have to have such appliances. Just the same, she made sure that when she tied the robe closed, she tucked the inside portion of the front as far around her as was possible.

_"That's all I need to do; give them a peep show!"_ she giggled to herself. With nothing on underneath, she was a mite uncomfortable, but she was certain that these creatures would not have any interest in her nakedness.

_"After all," she sighed, "we are a completely different species to one another! What interest would I present to them, anyway?"_

Just before she turned to leave the room, however, Beth gave one more critical look at herself in the mirror. And, as she did, she stood there and stared at her reflection, as if for the very first time. Although she would admit to not being beautiful, she was, for all practical purposes, more attractive than she wanted to be. In fact, it was something that she had completely forgotten about – until now. With her usually unkempt appearance and the way she hid herself from public view, she had forced that fact to the dark recesses of her subconscious. Although, through the years, Beth had tried to hide away from the world, she had hid, in fact, from her self as well.

Now, she trembled.

_"I - can't go out looking like – this!"_ she exclaimed silently, completely doing an 'about face' from earlier, now worried that maybe they would notice her femininity after all. _"What if…"_

Beth suddenly wrapped her arms around herself as old images resurfaced in her mind. She felt the beginnings of another episode edge its way into her consciousness, but, for once, she succeeded in holding it back.

Still, she couldn't help but remember the lewd comments her assailant had drooled at her, how dirty he made her feel, and how cheap and unworthy she felt when he had finished with her. She recalled his sarcastic comments about 'little Miss Rich Girl' and how he had ripped at her clothing, deriding her expensive tastes, and 'promising' her a dose of reality. Once he had raped her, Beth had little time to ponder the reasons for his assault before he flailed at her with his knife. Yet, why he had shown such animosity and violence towards Beth had remained a mystery to her – that is, until the trial.

It was there when she discovered the true reason for his hate and why his attack on her was anything but random.

Nevertheless, although she had always seen herself as average in looks, her father's wealth allowed Beth to enjoy expensive tastes. Upscale clothing, her nails done every couple of weeks, her hair never far from perfection, she was ever mindful of 'first impressions'.

However, after the attack and after the trial, grooming herself was something that Beth gave up on entirely. After her father died, she managed a decent appearance for his lawyers, only to delve into her more hermit-like existence once his estate had settled. She went so far as to rarely bathing, neglecting to wash or even brush her hair until she couldn't stand it any longer, and even then, she had to force herself to comb it. All the derogatory words the drunk had used to seduce her, to shock her into submission as he raped and then stabbed her, convinced Beth that 'looking good' was dangerous. Being attractive would attract only heartache and pain. Consequently, she deliberately went out of her way to look bad, if only to guarantee that others would ignore her.

She thought about all of this as she stood there in the makeshift bathroom, continuing to stare at her image in the mirror. With growing concern, here she was, clean, combed, and – pretty, again. It had been years since she had last seen herself that way and it was something that she had tried so hard not to be. Yet, her feeling of detachment crept to the surface once again, overriding her success from moments before. As she began her decent into the comforting world of her catatonia, Splinter's voice broke through her growing delirium.

"Beth, are you done? I would like to talk with you, please," he said with some urgency.

His voice sounded out like the sudden breakage of glass disturbing the otherwise quiet of a room, jarring the girl's attention away from her graduating psychosis.

Catching herself seconds away from losing it for the fifth time in less than a day, Beth grabbed onto the edge of the counter to keep from collapsing. She felt her knees buckle, but caught herself before she could crumple to the floor. With her forehead now resting atop the counter and feeling the cold surface against her clammy skin, her knuckles whitened as she held onto the counter's edge in a manic desperation. She squeezed her eyes shut to ward off the attack as a small whimper escaped her mouth. Her body trembled even more, now, quaking as she attempted to fight off yet another episode.

"Beth, are you all right?" Splinter asked as concern now filled his voice. "Do you need assistance?"

Swallowing back the bile that seemed ready to spew from her, Beth straightened up and shook her head 'no', as if it were possible for the rat to see through the closed bathroom door. Finally, reacquainting herself with her vocal chords again, she replied, her voice a near whisper, "I-I'm fine. I'll…be right out. Just give me a moment, please?"

"I sense that you are troubled, child. If you are dressed, I can send Leonardo in to help you?" the rat offered softly.

Leonardo.

Beth smiled a bit at the name, remembering her thoughts from only moments ago and the fact that he had become her friend. Yet, her mind whirled around the idea of what if he had thoughts like - that drunk had had? What if he had the same intentions? What if…and then Beth realized something that she had not stopped to think about.

_"If Leo had those thoughts and those intentions, he could have easily taken advantage of me before now."_ Smiling, Beth allowed her intellectual rationalization to win out as this last fact pierced her fragile mental state. She knew that Leonardo had shown her nothing but kindness, encouraging her and even being protective of her. Nevertheless, the girl knew that she didn't look the same as she had, before her bath. She looked different. Beth no longer portrayed the image of a disheveled and unkempt smelly woman, but a woman bathed and clean and – now pretty. Despite her momentary logic seeping into her common sense, though, she still worried that Leo would see her differently.

She suddenly feared that maybe it was a mistake for her to clean up.

In any event, Splinter's offer of sending Leonardo into the bathroom to help was beginning to appeal to the girl. But, considering she was wearing only a cotton robe, for a moment she wondered about the impropriety of having her friend alone with her in the bathroom. Even with Splinter right outside, it just seemed wrong. Shaking her head, the girl knew that it would be inappropriate, no matter what her state of mind. She decided that it was far better for her to walk out on her own volition, than to invite temptation.

Earlier, Leonardo and Splinter had both sensed the girl's conflicting emotion, almost as soon it manifested itself. They had been in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, when they felt a change in the girl's mood. Splinter sensed it first and then, almost in the next moment, Leo's head jerked up and turned towards the subway cars. At first, he wanted to help her, to go to her in order to keep her from falling back into the mental stupor that afflicted her so terribly.

However, Splinter gently held him back, a bony paw gracing Leo's shoulder as he said, "It is important, Leonardo, for Beth to find it within herself to control these things."

"But, Sensei, she's feeling something awful, I want to help her!" his son declared mournfully as he gently challenged the rat.

"Yes, I understand this, but you cannot help control what is not _yours_ to control," Splinter replied.

"Could meditation help her, though?" Leo asked desperately, remembering his conversation with Beth from earlier.

"Only if she wants help, Leonardo," his father said, "If she believes that meditation will help her, then it will. If she is convinced that it cannot, then it won't." Splinter remarked softly as she shrugged, "I can teach her only if she is willing to be taught. No lesson, no matter how beneficial, can be learned if the student is unwilling to accept it."

"I – think I understand," Leo replied, a bit uncertainly.

Gently laying a paw on Leo's arm, Splinter explained, "Consider the tea, my son. Once ingested, the body does not have a choice but to allow the tea to work its healing properties. The mind, however, is independent of such involuntary reaction. It has the potential to decide for itself what it will accept and what it won't." He smiled, "If I offer you a cup of tea, but you refuse it, then your mind has controlled your choice and, in that way, you have controlled your body. However, the tea is ineffective in its healing since it was denied." He then nodded towards the bathroom where Beth was currently struggling with her demons, "Your friend's mind, although troubled, is not beyond that independent choice. If she accepts my instructions, then she will learn to control her episodes. Yet, it is still her choice, and a choice that will influence the outcome based on her willingness to learn."

"Thank you for explaining that to me." Leo nodded, "But, what about Beth?"

"You are welcomed, my son." Splinter replied, saying, "Now, I will go to her, you may follow, but please – let me do the talking." Then the two of them walked over to the car that housed the bathroom – and Beth.

Now, after Splinter had made his concerns known to her, he and his son waited together as they watched the door to the bathroom. Leo could still sense the tumult of Beth's mental state, his connection to her strengthened if only by their similar cognitive challenges. Where she remembered too much of whatever trauma afflicted her, he remembered little of his life before she found him. Although dissimilar in their content, they were as akin to a disorder as one could get. As he thought about it, he wondered if he was only attracted to her by this alone. Nevertheless, he knew in his heart that the girl needed some sort of security, a security that he felt he was capable of giving to her.

Suddenly and much to Leo's and Splinter's relief, the bathroom door slid open. Beth now stood at its threshold, shaken, but for the moment in control. The bathrobe hid much of her feminine form, showing only her slender ankles, and her cleansed, near-creamy white face. This made the rest of her stand out in contrast. Her green eyes were large and round, rimmed with dark brown lashes, and showing a fearful yet intelligent expression. Her hair had dried completely, now, allowing her curls to tighten more than they were earlier, falling lazily around her face and down to her shoulders. As she stood there looking at them, a glow of pink bloomed along her cheeks, showing her as slightly embarrassed.

With her image nearly taking his breath away, Leo thought her quite becoming. He then smiled. "You – clean up well, Beth," he remarked softly. However, as Splinter turned towards Leo to give him a scolding look, the girl took several steps back inside the car and, as she did, she sucked in a quick breath of shock.

"Leonardo, please return to the kitchen while I tend to the girl," the rat instructed sternly.

Gulping, Leo asked, "What? What'd I do? I only meant…" he stammered nervously.

Master Splinter said very softly, so that only Leonardo could hear him, "Beth is quite uncomfortable with herself. She is – afraid, Leonardo. Can you not sense this?"

Leo looked back at the girl and saw how she ducked her head, how she now looked away from him, and how more reddened her cheeks were becoming. As the full force of his words weighed against her, he suddenly felt horrible for not realizing how insecure she probably felt. Considering how she had looked and smelled earlier before her bath, Leo realized, too late, that clean was something she probably did not experience very often. Now, with Beth cleansed and for the first time in probably a long while, Leo realized she more than likely felt conspicuous. That would explain what he had sensed earlier from her, when he and Splinter had caught the shift in her mood that alerted them to her growing dilemma.

Consequently and as he allowed himself to mentally reach out, he felt her mortification. Tears now pooled his eyes in empathy. Shame suddenly filled his heart for placing such attention on one who so obviously had tried not to attract it. Slowly shaking his head, he muttered, "I – I didn't realize, Sensei, I'm – so very sorry."

Then, before he could even think about what he was doing, Leo bowed low at the waste before the girl, uttering words that surprised not only him, but also the rat and Beth, too, "Okoraseta nara goman nasai." (I am sorry that I offended you.)

Splinter gave a slightly wide-eyed incredulous expression to his son, remarking, "Leonardo?"

Just as surprised as his father, the turtle snapped to attention, staring at Splinter as he took a quick step backwards in shock. As he did, he exclaimed anxiously with his arms out wide in supplication, "Wh-what did I just say, Father? Did I say something offensive? What was it that I just said?"

Gently walking over to his son and wrapping his arms around him, Splinter whispered as he looked full into Leo's face with great relief, "You have said nothing wrong, Leonardo. You have only expressed remorse for your earlier comment to Beth," he then pulled away, his eyes filled with emotion, "But more importantly, you are showing signs of recovery." The master then turned back towards the girl, who now cowered within the confines of the bathroom, "And if you can regain your memory, Leonard, then maybe our guest would like to find a way to regain control of her mind, as well." Splinter looked serenely at the girl as she strode slowly back towards the opened doorway, attracted to what the rat had said. He asked her softly, "Child, would you like to learn how to become whole again?"

Beth looked over at Leonardo and saw the confused, yet contrite expression on his face. She noticed his eyes brim with tears of remorse. It was plain to see that Leo had not meant any harm. She also knew that the words he uttered only moments earlier had been in Japanese, if only because of the brief history lesson that Splinter had imparted to her earlier about his family. Although she did not have a clue what it was that Leo had said to her, the inflections were plain enough. She knew he felt awful for his comment to her. It was that, alone, which bolstered her confidence that he would never harm her, where her well-being seemed to be his utmost concern.

Intrigued with his offer, Beth nodded and meekly replied, "If you – think you can teach me."

Smiling warmly, Splinter replied, "There is no question about my ability to teach you. It is a question of whether or not you wish to learn."

Beth nodded in understanding, smiling a little at the rat's confidence. Finally, she stepped outside the bathroom door and, in effect, accepted the proffered help as she admitted, "I do want to learn, but – I'm – afraid that…"

However, Splinter interrupted her with a gentle wave of his hand, "Fear is only a reaction, my dear, but one that can be controlled. If you are willing to learn, then you will learn to control your fear." He extended a bony paw towards her, "Will you accept my help and do what I ask of you?"

Beth swallowed nervously, remembering things she would rather forget, but the rat's sincerity and Leonardo's earnest face bolstered her resolve to conquer her fearful imagery, "Yes, I – I will."

"Then," the rat bowed once, "I am honored to be your teacher," gently receiving Beth's hand as she placed it willingly in his. Splinter then said warmly, "Come, now, child; we have prepared breakfast. It is a bit late in the morning for it, but my other sons will be arriving momentarily and they will be understandably hungry."

As Splinter led her slowly away from the train car, Leonardo followed from behind. He watched as his father and Beth walked ahead of him, making for the kitchen as the sounds of his brothers' arrival reached his ears. As he watched Beth's retreating form as she walked beside his master, a sudden warm feeling grew steadily within him. Yes, he did indeed find her attractive. However, based on how she reacted to his complimenting words, Leo knew that there was some relationship between how others saw her and whatever trauma she suffered through that was causing her episodes. This only piqued his curiosity and concern for the girl.

While the other three turtles bounded into the lair, Mike's exuberant exclamations about 'being starved half to death' echoed off the brick walls of the station. The other two laughed at his expense with Raph commenting, "Yer always hungry, Mikey; what else is new?"

As the three bi-pedal terrapins gathered inside the kitchen area and began to report their findings to Splinter, Leo hung back, standing outside of the room and wondering about his own recovery, yet worrying a great deal about it, as well.

_"What if I remember too much?" _he thought to himself,_ "What if my feelings for Beth change, all because of my place in this family, and what I'm expected to do? What if she loses her fears and doesn't need me anymore?" _he mused in silent, worried despair.

Although he was glad that Beth found some courage in wanting help, it was a frightening thought where his heart was concerned. Where he had just spoken in a language that he could not translate, it seemed his own recovery was occurring. Sensing Beth's turmoil just seconds after Splinter had, made this fact even more apparent. Moreover, while waiting in Splinter's room for Beth to awaken from her more recent catatonic episode, Leo had remembered snippets from his life before his amnesia, bits and pieces that were more like a patchwork quilt of memories. Currently, they were a mish mash of scenes, conversations he had had, with events that almost frightened him. He had many questions about that, as well, yet the one question that begged his asking was, - did he really want his recovery to happen?

As he listened to Raphael report to Splinter about how no one had been aware of Beth's absence at the apartment, memories and feelings of duty began to, suddenly, overwhelm the simplicity of Leo's current mental state.

Yet, instead of embracing it, he fought it; he did not want to remember. Something deep inside of him wanted things to stay the way they were. He liked not having responsibility and a sense of duty. For reasons that he could not understand, in that moment he knew that he had tried to run away from it and that the alley had been a culmination of that attempt. What had happened in that alley was still lost to him, but Leo was certain of one thing and one thing only. He knew that, once he recovered, whatever obligation he had in the clan before he lost his memories, Splinter would want to reinstate him as leader. The way Raphael treated him, the way Splinter fawned over him, the look of expectation and disappointment from Donnie and Mike, all told Leonardo that they missed his leadership.

However, he knew that, the way he was currently feeling, he did not miss being the leader!

In that moment and without a second thought, Leonardo decided that he would feign his roll as the amnesia-stricken family member. He would refuse recovery, even if he had to fake his affliction.

For it was certain to him that he had fallen in love with Beth, and Leo was determined that no amount of duty or responsibility would threaten how he felt for her.

**_COMMENTS_**_ – Well, where this is a re-write of the original chapter 14, I had remarked then about it being summer, my daughter was now home, and time for writing seemed strained at best. My daughter's room is still not painted, although we do have one third of her carpeting ripped up (that was like 3 weeks ago, though, so you can stop cheering for me. I still have the remaining two-thirds to do!). As for writing, I will do my best with getting chapter 15 going. Nothing's in writing, yet, as I am hoping re-doing chapter 14 might help me. Hmm…so far, no ideas yet. Drat. Anyway, I appreciate everyone's patience. :0) Be blessed! _


	15. Normal Behavior

- **_STORY REVISION ALERT – _**

**_Chapter 14 revised. Important changes reflecting how Beth sees her relationship with Leonardo. _**

**_DISCLAIMER – _**_Okay, sorry about the delay in updating. I've been besieged with Writers Block on this story. After writing a one-shot and then a short, multi-chaptered story, I think I've re-discovered my inspiration. At least, as far as chapter 15 is concerned. Anyway, I only own the story and Beth, too. Maybe that nosey neighbor in apartment Four-A, as well, but that remains to be seen – since none of us have seen her, yet. LOL _

**_Also_****_, for those of you unaware of this, we lost one of our own last week. LadyLuna78 passed away from complications due to leukemia. She battled this horrific disease for 5 years and passed away just a week ago this past Monday. She was only 15. Honestly, when I found this out, I cried almost the entire day, off and on. _**

**_Anyway, her friend, Nichole, has offered up the one TMNT story that Bethany (LL78) wrote to anyone willing to continue it. Please visit LadyLuna78's page, ID number 380170, for more information. I have offered to pick up the slack, but have not heard back from Nichole. If I do, I am willing to make this a round-robin story (Let Me Hear Your Voice), where anyone familiar with it may honor Bethany's memory. Here is Nichole's memorial for her good friend – _**

**R.I.P**  
_LadyLuna78 (Bethany)  
_1/18/90 - 6/20/05  
_A loving friend, big sister, daughter, and aspiring writer_

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 15 – Normal Behavior**

Much to Beth's relief, when Leonardo's brothers returned from their patrolling, they had brought back a few articles of clothing for her. Initially, when they first arrived, the girl had followed Leo into the kitchen to watch him finish up with making breakfast. Yet, the truth of the matter was, Raphael bothered her, and she wanted to avoid him all together. Just having him look at her, much less being in the same room with him, made Beth very uneasy. Therefore, she felt safer being in the kitchen with Leonardo.

At one point during the other turtles' report, however, Splinter called her back out to join him. Now, as she stood next to the rat, albeit nervously, one of his other sons gave the rest of their report.

"Fortunately, no one yet knows that Beth's missing. We found a sewer access in the alley behind her complex, so it was easy to slip back inside her apartment," Don explained to Splinter. He looked over at Beth and smiled, saying, "We cleaned up the blood, too, from when you fell on Leo's sword, just in case someone does get suspicious and has the superintendent check on things." Shrugging, he added, "I figured you wouldn't want that kind of attention anyway."

Beth nodded quietly, trying not to look at Raph, as she said, "No, I wouldn't. Fortunately, no one bothers with me, except for the woman in Four-A, and she only watches for me when I leave my apartment."

"Well, how often do you leave?" Mike asked in concern, "I mean, if it's a daily thing and all, she might get suspicious if you're not sticking to your routine."

"I manage about twice a week, if that much," Beth replied softly, and then she shrugged, "Although, lately I've been staying inside a lot."

"Well, there's somethin' in our favah," Raph deadpanned and then he added, "Yer othah neighbors had their winda shades down, othahwise, we would'a had to wait until nightfall to get yer things."

The moment Raph looked her way, however, Beth averted her eyes and refused to acknowledge his comment. In response, Raphael harrumphed and shook his head in mild irritation. He angrily folded his arms across his plastron in defiance of what he interpreted as disrespect, and scowled with a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes. He was about to say something to her, but, as if sensing or at least knowing what was to come, one stern look from Splinter quelled any of Raph's intentions.

Clearing his throat, Splinter then encouraged, "Well done, my sons. Nevertheless, I am sure that whatever clothing you did bring back, Beth will appreciate it."

As it was, whoever had the job of going through her dresser drawers and closet, they at least were sensitive enough to bag the items collected. For Beth, it would have been horrifically embarrassing for any of them to hand her a fist full of her underwear or one of her bras. As it was, Donatello was the one to deliver Beth her clothes. With the various items inconspicuously concealed within the plastic grocery bag, the girl eagerly received it from him as he handed it to her. "I hope I thought of everything," he remarked to her, almost apologetically.

Beth gratefully took the proffered bag and smiled sheepishly, "Thank you. At this point, anything will do."

Eyeing the girl and realizing that she seemed to be wearing just the green bathrobe, if only because of her exposed, bare legs, Raph smirked maliciously, his voice low and almost seductive, "Then, maybe we shud'a grabbed that red negligee' instead of th'jeans and sweatshirt, Don!"

Beth's eyes suddenly widened in shock, and then she glared angrily over at her antagonist. In one moment, she was no longer the shy, reticent girl. Hastily and indignantly, Beth replied, her voice sharp and piercing, "I don't own **any** such thing!"

"Rats," Raph deadpanned as he snapped his fingers and smiled, "an' I was so certain it was yer apartment we were in, too." He then commented sourly, "At least ya didn't dis me this time!" Raphael then abruptly walked off towards the living area, chuckling under his breath as he left a red-faced girl in his wake. He collapsed onto the sofa and slouched in against its backrest. As he grabbed up the T.V. remote, he smirked once again at the girl, and then focused on the television screen.

Beth stared after him, completely shocked and wishing that Leo had heard the comment, _"That big galoot certainly needs a bop in the nose!" _she grumped to herself. However, the very thought of the two brothers going at it again still would have been a bad idea all the way around. Anyone fighting, even if it meant putting a particular mutant turtle in his place, seemed horribly barbaric.

Splinter sighed and shook his head, remarking to Beth, "I must apologize for Raphael's comment, child. As hard as I have tried to influence him, his humor is sometimes crude."

"Sometimes?" Mike exclaimed, "I'd say, most times, Sensei," and then he announced as he changed the topic, "Well, I don't know about the rest of ya, but I'm starvin'!"

"We will wait until our guest takes full advantage of the clothes that Donatello brought back for her." Splinter announced.

Moaning, Mike replied, "But, Sensei, but we've been all through New York's sewers without even a snack! I'm STARVED!"

"We will wait, Michelangelo!" the rat insisted, his tail lashing once as it firmly slapped the ground next to him.

"Nuts," the orange-banded turtle grouched and then pouted. Grumbling under his breath about how 'a growing turtle need sustenance' and 'thin enough to blow away', he nearly stomped over to the couch. Flopping down next to Raphael, he sighed deeply as his brother switched on the television.

"And," Splinter said as he looked at Beth again with a sad expression, "it seems that I must also apologize for Michelangelo's rude impatience, as well."

"I'm not that offended – ah – Mr. - hmm…how exactly should I address you?" Beth asked, realizing she did not have a clue what to call her host.

"For now, child," the rat replied, smiling, "you may address me as Master Splinter."

"Um…okay, ah, Master Splinter." Beth then pointed back towards the bathroom, "I'll - only be a minute." She then quickly retreated towards the sub-car in question, soon disappearing inside. After a few minutes, she reappeared again, this time without her robe and dressed in a pair of her jeans and a yellow sweatshirt. Don actually _had_ thought of everything, right down to her bra, underwear, socks, and shoes. At first, Beth was mildly embarrassed when she had emptied the grocery bag and saw how thorough he had been, yet she was also thankful. It was obvious that the mutant turtles had some knowledge of humans and their ways. She really couldn't fault him, then, for thinking of her needs. He had even brought back her hairbrush, her other hair products, and her deodorant, which actually made her smile. Yes, indeed, Beth was sure that she had made a rather 'strong' impression on her hosts.

Not long after exiting the bathroom, she joined the others as they gathered around the kitchen table for breakfast. They had pulled a chair in from the living room in order for her to join them, placing her between Leonardo and Donatello. Raphael sat on Don's opposite side from her, which, as far as Beth was concerned, was still too close for comfort. Yet, after Leo placed the steaming bowl of scrambled eggs and a small tower of toasted bread in the center of the table, her attention was gratefully distracted. Soon, each person took turns scooping helpings of eggs onto their plates, while three of the four turtles chattered on about how their patrol duty went.

After all had taken their share, however, it did not take long for one voice to declare suddenly and with pure disappointment edging his words, "Well, one thing hasn't changed,"

"What's that, Mikey?" Don asked as he took a bite of half-burnt scrambled eggs. He looked over at his brother as he chewed his food, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Leo – still - can't - cook." Michelangelo griped, picking up his fork. He then started working through his mound of near-crispy breakfast in hopes of finding at least one part of it that wasn't fried.

Leo looked askance at Mike, apparently insulted and seemingly ready to defend himself. Nevertheless, Splinter laid a gentle hand on his son's arm, saying, "It is all right, Leonardo, coming from Michelangelo, this is normal."

Pursing his lips in frustrated silence, Leo went back to his own meal. Digging his fork into his pile of eggs, he did so with a little more gusto than before, as he eyed Mike questioningly. Then, seemingly in defeat, Leonardo sighed.

He definitely felt insulted.

Watching Leonardo's reaction, Raph just laughed and shook his head. He then shoveled portions of his own serving into his gaping maw. As he chewed, he remarked, spraying out bits of egg as he did, "Well, Mike, at least it's food. Better than be'n hungry." Raphael ate without hesitation, seemingly more ravenous than his out-spoken little brother. It was either that or he decided that downing his meal quickly would be less torturous for him.

"True," Mike agreed, shrugging in resignation, and then he glanced over at his father, "But – ah, Sensei?"

"Yes, my son?" the rat responded as he wiped his snout with his napkin, setting his hands in his lap as he met Michelangelo's gaze.

"No disrespect, but – next time we're out patrolling…" Mike whined, "Please keep Leo out of the kitchen and just wait until we get back, 'kay? I mean, how hard can eggs be to cook, right? They're easy enough to fix up."

Splinter sighed, commenting, "It was either him or me, my son. I figured that maybe Leonardo might have some hidden talent only his amnesia state would reveal." He looked at his own pile of eggs and then sighed again, "But, I guess - I was mistaken." As he caught the subtle frown on Leo's face, the rat tried not to make eye contact with him. Just the same, Splinter finally could not help but to look over and, smiling wryly, remark, "Do not despair, Leonardo; not everyone can find success in the kitchen."

Mike snorted derisively, "You can say that again, Sensei!" Michelangelo looked over at Beth and grinned proudly, as he jerked thumb in his direction, "I'm the resident cook, by the way." Then, pointing to his breakfast, he added, "Believe me, my eggs are way better than this!"

Beth smiled back at him, but said nothing in reply. As she partook of the meal, she sat silently, the soft scraping of her fork against her plate the only sound she made. When Leo had served up the food, she had found herself to be just as hungry, if not more so, than the others, since her last meal had been breakfast from the day before. Considering she had been in the turtle's lair since late the previous evening, the firm, dry eggs were a welcomed relief for her empty stomach. Although she disliked Raphael very much and was quite offended by his earlier remark, she had to agree with him that the overcooked eggs were 'better than be'n hungry'.

Just the same, while she ate, she couldn't help but watch Raph out of the corner of her eye. Where he sat next to Don, his position made it easy for her to do so and not be too obvious about it. At any rate, even though she was still quite intimidated with this seemingly more volatile member of the turtle clan, his sudden support of Leonardo surprised her. Considering how he had earlier behaved towards his brother, it was easy for Beth to assume that they did not get along very well, even before Leo's amnesia. As it was, the girl tried not to be conspicuous about looking at him. Unfortunately, despite her best attempts, Raphael easily noticed her observations.

"Why don'cha just take a pitcha, lady; it'll last longa," he snapped as he looked over at her, just before taking yet another bite of his scrambled eggs.

Beth cringed in embarrassment. She tried to melt into the back of her chair, ducking her head down so to avoid looking at him. Had she been able to, she would have crawled under the table in pure mortification. As it was, it was all she could to just sit there and blush.

Upon noticing her reaction to Raphael's caustic words, Leo snapped his head around to glare threateningly at him. His eyes blazed in irritation, yet in response the only thing that Raph did was to smirk and lightly chuckle. Before Leo or Raph could say anything or respond in any way, however, Splinter casually reached over and, as he had done before, laid a gentle but firm paw on his oldest son's shoulder. This caused Leonardo to turn and look at him, catching his father's gaze. The rat shook his head, then, and, ever so slightly, communicated in that way for Leo to 'stand down.

While Splinter calmed Leo, Raphael looked over at Beth and noticed her reddening face. Somewhat amused by it, he said derisively, "Good god, lady, ya think ya cun just look me like that an' not have me know yer look'n?" Chuckling as he glanced back down at his food and scooped up another fork-full, he remarked almost under his breath, "As if that was ev'n poss'ble." Continuing to eat and with his expression serious and steely, he said to her in a low, but warning voice as he looked back up at her, "Jus so's you know, I hate be'n stared at, 'kay?"

Satisfied that he had made his point perfectly clear, Raph went back to eating the rest of his eggs in silence and without challenge. He knew and could sense Leonardo's escalating ire, but he also knew that his father was monitoring his memory-afflicted sibling. For now, anyway, Raph was certain that he would escape another brawl with his older brother.

When Raphael had eaten the last bite of egg from his plate, he popped one whole slice of toast into his large mouth and chewed vigorously. When he was done, he then stood up, took the plate over to the sink, and rinsed it off. Leaving the plate in the sink, he turned back around to leave the kitchen and, as he walked by Leonardo, Raphael grinned and slapped his brother firmly on the back of his shell.

Remarking as he looked down at him, Raph said, "Good eggs, Bro…a bit too done, maybe, but my stomach ain't complain'n." He could still sense Leo's affront and anger, but what he noticed most was Beth's reaction. She stiffened a little, as if fearful, which only made him smirk more. Raphael considered making a comment to her, thought better of it, and then headed out into the greater part of the lair, boisterously declaring as he walked towards his room, "I'm catch'n some z's. Anyone call fer me, take a numbah." He then quickly disappeared into his sub-car bedroom, soon yanking the door closed behind him. Not long after, the audible creak of bedsprings sounded out and then, after that, silence.

Leo sighed, still sitting at the table, as he stared at his brother's bedroom door. He shook his head as he muttered under his breath, "Amnesia or not, I don't think I'll ever understand him."

Mike chuckled while Don grinned in understanding, yet neither of them offered a comment as they went back to their own meal. Except for the occasional sound of metal utensils scraping against ceramic plates, the remaining family members and their guest finished up with breakfast in relative peace.

A while later, and as Leo helped to clear the table, he paused beside his master. In obvious frustration, he whispered to him as he huffed a bit, "Father, why did you allow Raph to speak that way to Beth?" The turtle watched as the girl walked out of the kitchen and into the living area, oblivious to Leo's query. She went over to the couch to sit down, soon picking up the television remote.

As Splinter rose up out of his chair, he took his cane in-hand. Then as he looked over at his son, he replied, "If I were to challenge each and every comment that Raphael makes, whether to Miss Beth or to any of you," the rat's whiskers twitched just a little in mild irritation, "then he would be forced to act unlike himself."

"And that's bad, because?" Leo asked honestly, not at all pleased with his brother's behavior towards his friend – or, for that matter, the way his father had handled the situation. As he waited for his father's reply, Leonardo watched as Beth inspected the remote control, as if attempting to figure out how to work it. As he did, he sighed. He was glad that Raphael's comment had not caused the girl to have yet another episode. It had been his greatest concern as he watched her react to his brother's rude words. However, he considered Raph quite lucky for the moment. Had Beth succumbed to yet another attack, Leo was certain he would have ended up in his second fight that day with Raphael.

"Leonardo, Beth will need to understand, just as you will, that life is what it is. You can either 'roll with the punches', as the saying goes, or get knocked out." He shook his head, "To ask Raphael to be other than himself would be like asking a cat to bark like a dog. I have known your brother for twenty-two years, since before he mutated. As hard as I have tried to curb his tongue and his attitude, I had to realize that Raphael is as unique as any of you are. At some point, your friend is going to have to accept your brother for who he is."

"But, he was **rude** to her!" Leo complained in indignation, his voice rising just a little.

"He's always rude, Bro! Doesn't matter who it is, either." Mike replied glumly as he gathered up what remained of the breakfast plates. "One thing you're gonna have to understand," he remarked, looking at his blue-banded brother, "whether you remember or not, you're gonna have to accept that Raph does what he does because – well – because he's Raph." Mike then quickly rattled off his last comment, "He's an attitude in a half-shell, Bro!" He sighed deeply and then took up the empty serving bowl and dirty plates, carrying them back towards the sink.

As Mike deposited them noisily into the hot sudsy water, Don added his thoughts as he came up alongside of Leonardo, his hand gentle upon his brother's carapace, "You and Raph have always had a problem getting along – until you realized a few years ago that you fought only because you were always trying to change him. Once you realized that you couldn't change him and just let Raph be who he was, the two of you were able to get along better."

"So," Leo mused, "the bad feelings I'm having about him now, aren't new?" He turned a wry grin towards his purple-banded brother.

As his hands sank deep into the sink of hot, sudsy water, Mike turned towards Leo and chuckled as he said, "As new as the sun is to the moon, Bro. Your conflicts with Raph are almost legendary!"

As Donatello joined Michelangelo to help wash up the dirty dishes, Splinter and Leonardo joined Beth in the living room. Splinter sat down in the rocker, while Leo sat himself on the couch beside his friend, who had unfolded her legs and was now sitting formally on the sofa. He smiled at Beth and, as he did, Splinter noticed the expression on his son's face. Twitching his whiskers, the rat assessed the couple before him; his eyes alert as his ears swiveled suspiciously towards the two on the couch.

Quietly, Beth whispered to Leonardo, "I think the eggs were just fine, Leo. At least they weren't runny. I just hate runny eggs." She gave him a warm, yet shy smile, but quickly looked away when he returned the expression.

"Thanks!" Leo chirped, but then he sobered a little, "Even though Mike's comment offended me, I have to agree that they were a bit too done." Then, as his face became more somber, he looked down at his hands resting in his lap. Glancing back up at Beth again with saddening eyes, Leo said quietly, "He – I mean, Raphael, just grates on my nerves, is all. I wish he would be nicer to you." Shrugging, Leo then gave the girl a lopsided grin.

She sighed and then simply agreed, "Me, too."

Splinter cleared his throat, gently interrupted their conversation, and suddenly asked, "My child, what do you think of my son, Raphael?"

Beth looked up towards Splinter, her eyes slightly wide in surprise with his abrupt question, "I – I don't know what you mean?"

"Exactly what I asked. If you were to describe my son, how would you do so?"

Beth's eyebrows quirked a little in amusement and then she shrugged as she looked down at her lap, replying softly, "I – I don't think I'm qualified to describe him. I – really don't know that much about him…" She then looked up at Splinter with curious eyes, as if realizing something for the very first time, "Or you, for that matter…" and then she looked over at Leo sitting next to her, "or even you or your brothers."

"Excellent answer, my child." Splinter commented, "Considering Leonardo's amnesia, you know as much about Raphael as he does." The rat looked lovingly, yet sternly at his son, forcing Leo to bow his head in submission. Splinter then looked back at the girl, "Yet, I am glad, Miss Beth, that you chose to answer the way that you did."

Confused, Beth asked, "You are? Why?"

"Well," Splinter leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap as he smiled, "you will be easier to teach if you have not yet formed an opinion about someone as – hmm, how should I say this?" Splinter raised his snout and looked away, as if thinking deeply, and then turned back to gaze at the girl on the couch, "Ah yes, as overwhelming as Raphael can be. Otherwise, the task of teaching you to control your attacks will be harder."

"What have my attacks to do with my opinion of Raphael?" Beth asked curiously. She felt Leo shift on the seat next to her, as if adjusting his position in order to get more comfortable and to face his father better. She felt him take up her hand in his and, though her first reaction was to resist, she allowed the touch. She soon relaxed within that small embrace, relishing his casual affection, even though she still questioned the 'rightness' of it.

Chuckling, Splinter replied, "My more aggressive son is a conundrum of emotions and he can quite easily incite a reaction with very little effort on his part. Yet, he is more than the sum total of his recent behavior towards you. For you to form an opinion regarding him, when you have not truly become acquainted with all of who Raphael is, would be premature and unwise. In order for you to gain control of your disorder, it will require you to trust me with something that may be as foreign to you as Raphael's personality. By not forming an opinion about him, tells me that you are open to what I am about to teach you."

Curiously, Beth asked, "What exactly _are_ you going to teach me?" She felt Leo's hand give her own a gentle squeeze, as if trying to bolster her confidence and resolve. Beth smiled a little, her own feelings for him causing her to wonder a great deal.

Splinter replied, "I am going to show you how to control your mind through meditation."

A short brief silence followed, as Beth ran that thought through her head. Then, licking her lips and taking a bit of a deep breath, the girl asked, "Um, no disrespect, but – ah - how can that help?" Even though Leo had said as much to her, where she had never meditated before the very idea seemed like a deep mystery to her.

"It can help you focus yourself. But, before one can begin meditation," Splinter explained, "one has to do a breathing exercise first, in order to calm the heart and mind. I will begin with that, so that you will learn how to calm your body. If the body is in turmoil, it is very difficult to calm the anxious mind." He smiled, then, "You have already allowed your mind to control you for far too long, my child. Do you not agree?"

Sheepishly, Beth nodded, lowering her gaze down to her lap once again. The near catatonic episode in the bathroom seemed to be the catalyst for her and the incentive for Beth to come to terms with her problem. She then felt another gentle squeeze of her hand from Leo. Looking over at him, she found him smiling at her, the warmth in his face and eyes belying his cold-blooded species.

"My father has already shown me how to do this and, I have to say, it does do what he says it will. I'm certain that he can help you, Beth," Leo said encouragingly.

In a small, quiet voice, she replied and then swallowed, "I – I hope so."

Splinter repeated his question, "Miss Beth, do you not agree that you have suffered long enough from your disorder?"

Beth looked up at the rat and, although she felt a little anxious about it, she bowed her head and then replied softly, "Yes, I believe I have."

Splinter nodded his head once towards her and smiled as he remarked, "Then, let me now begin to teach you how to take back control!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	16. Progressive Recession

**_DISCLAIMER – _**_Nope, still claiming the story and Beth as mine.However,Leo, Don, Mike, Raph, and Splinter are still prisoners of Eastman and Laird – or, at least Laird, since he bought out Kevin years ago. Either way, the turtles are only on loan to me and free from any monetary restraints or income. Read and review, if you have the time. Be blessed._

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _

**Chapter 16 – Progressive Recession**

With her eyes closed and as she sat cross-legged on the couch, Beth breathed in…and then out, her intake and expelling of air slow and rhythmic. At first, it was difficult for her to relax enough to measure her breathing, but after twenty minutes of practice, it became easier to do. Surprisingly, she found the exercise relaxing and even rejuvenating. However, she still had so many fearful images, that if it had not been for Splinter's assistance, the girl would have certainly slipped once again into the abyss of her psychosis. She didn't know how the rat could tell, but every time she felt herself becoming emotionally detached, he would gently and softly speak to her, drawing Beth back to her meditative state once again. His astuteness was almost as if he had joined his consciousness with hers.

Just the same, the emotional clutter of her disorder clogged her mind like a backed-up drain. Although it did not overwhelm him, it did impress the ninja master. With persistence, though, and encouragement from Splinter, as her time within her meditative state lengthened, Beth's anxieties seemed to ebb slowly away.

"You are doing well, my child," Splinter said quietly, ending Beth's first session with those words alone.

As she opened her eyes, she found the Master looking at her with a pleased smile on his face. Leo sat next to her, also emerging from his own meditation. There was an obvious difference with him, as well, where before his frustration with Raphael had given him a tense expression. Now, his face showed peace and tranquility, and he seemed more serene that he had in the beginning. It gave Beth hope that maybe she, too, might acquire such a state of well-being.

Looking back at Splinter, Beth remarked, "I'm still having problems with certain images, though."

"In time, Miss Beth, you will gain control," he replied, "As you practice the breathing exercises and meditation, thereby becoming more familiar with it, you will be able to dismiss these images. Then, they will no longer have such a controlling influence on you."

Shaking her head, the girl responded as she looked at her hands in her lap, "I - I don't know if that's completely possible, considering all that happened to me." She looked back at the rat, "Even my therapists were unable to help me."

Splinter sighed, studying the girl as she sat on the couch. After a moment, he commented, "Not all therapists are right for all people, child. It may be that your doctor had another motive." The rat glanced over to one of the sub-car bedrooms, and then back to Beth once again, saying, "From what my son, Donatello, was able to glean from the Internet, there are many so-called psychiatrists who are only in their profession for the soul reason of making a living. So long as they have patients, they will have income. It is a very sad commentary for a profession whose original intention was to help people with their emotional struggles."

Beth shrugged as she commented, "That may be so, but I know my father hired only the best for me."

"I don't doubt that he did, Miss Beth. However, even the so-called 'best' have their limits," the rat remarked.

"Possibly…anyway, I think the meditation did help me to feel better, though, if only a little." Beth admitted as she smiled, "Some of the images that came to my mind would have normally been enough…to…well…cause me to lose touch."

"Hmm…yes, I did sense their influence," Splinter remarked thoughtfully. Studying the girl again, the rat took a measured breath and then slowly asked, "Would you be willing to share with me what happened to you?"

Beth's eyes instantly widened, followed by a vigorous shaking of her head as she stuttered out, "Oh, no – I – I – I just couldn't talk about it, M-Master Splinter! I'm – afraid of what it might do if – if I did."

"Child, do you not realize that its very control of you is due to your fear of addressing it? Its greatest power is convincing you that it needs to remain hidden and unchallenged." The rat said soothingly. He leaned forward as he added, "Evil prefers the darkness where the light of truth cannot penetrate. Once truth is revealed, once conquered, the shadows that you fear most will flee as a result."

However, despite the rat's wise words, Beth suddenly hunkered into the back of the couch. She wrapped her arms insecurely around herself, brought her legs up against her, and, as she did, she began to tremble. Moaning with a quivering voice, she breathlessly squeaked, "I - really don't think it'd be a good idea - for me to – to talk about it."

Leo reached over to gently touch her shoulder in support, but as he did, Beth startled and jumped in her seat, scooting away from him. Her breathing hitched as she then began to hyperventilate. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" she loudly exclaimed.

"Beth, it's…it's me, Leonardo. I won't…hurt you, really I won't," the turtle exclaimed softly. Yet, he could tell that in one instant, his friend had slipped from a sense of serenity to one of pure, horrified panic.

"Miss Beth!" the rat sharply said, "**Look** – at - me!"

Unaccustomed to hearing Splinter speak with such authority, Beth turned towards him, her eyes still wide and frightened. He leaned forward in her direction, catching her gaze with his own, and then said, enunciating each word precisely, "There is nothing here that will hurt you, no one in my family will cause you harm." He reached over with one paw, instructing, "Take my hand, child." Beth hesitated, prompting the rat to exclaim insistently, "Please take my hand, **now**!"

Beth unfolded one arm and tentatively placed her hand in his, still trembling as if caught in a gale-force storm. As his long, bony fingers curled around her hand, she felt his warmth – and his strength. Yet, something else came from him that permeated her being. A sense of calm and peace washed over her in that moment, strengthening her as it did. Almost like the sudden calm that follows a tumultuous oceanic storm, the raging seas of her inner turmoil eased considerably.

"Miss Beth, you must trust your ability to control these episodes. To believe otherwise, you are only lying to yourself," Splinter gently admonished. He saw a brief respite of her anguish, where her eyes calmed every so slightly. "I assure you," the rat encouraged in soft tones, "talking about your ordeal will not harm you, nor will you lose control. I will make sure of it."

Beth's eyes welled up with tears and her breathing hitched again, as she sputtered, "I'm – so tired of living like this, being afraid, or worrying about every little thing that might set me off again. I know you're trying to help, but this is all so new to me…I…I just don't know if it will work."

"A moment ago, you admitted to feeling different, even better," Leo said to her encouragingly. He felt so helpless, though, watching as his friend crumbled from within. He didn't know what to do for Beth, other than being there next to her in support.

"I know," she groaned, "It's just…talking about it almost…hurts, like it did when it first happened."

"How can it hurt child? Whatever happened to you is only a memory." Splinter said softly, as he gently massaged Beth's hand in his.

"But I remember it like…like it was yesterday. Everything he did to me, EVERYTHING he said; the way he smelled, the feel of his clothing, the feel of HIM against me, the weather, EVERYTHING! I haven't been able to forget one second of what he put me through." Beth buried her face into her knees, now, crying with wracking sobs. "I…I'm so afraid that one day, he'll get out of jail and…and come _looking_ for me!"

Splinter nodded his head in understanding, but he smiled as well as he watched the girl cry. As Leo looked over at him, wondering why his father would have such an expression that seemed so opposite to the girl's own, the rat remarked, "And, contrary to your fears about having another episode, Miss Beth, you have told me much about what happened to you. Despite your lack of confidence in what I have been trying to teach you, it seems that you have also learned more than what you give yourself credit for." He watched as the girl looked up at him, surprise showing on her tear-stained face. "Yes, my child, you spoke clearly of your ordeal and, yet, here you are, as lucid and as coherent as Leonardo or I am." Releasing the girl's hand, Splinter added, "It seems, Miss Beth, as if your path to recovery has begun."

Beth sat there on the couch, for the moment stunned silent. It was the first time in years that she could verbally recall her past, cryptic as it was, and not launch herself into another of her debilitating catatonic episodes. "I – I don't feel that sense of detachment, like I usually do." She smiled then, a little relieved, but for the first time in a long while, quite pleased with herself.

"With practice, Miss Beth, you will be able to recall your event in its entirety and not have it control you." Splinter said calmly, "I promise you this." A sudden creak and squeak sounded out from Raphael's room, causing the rat to swivel his ears in that direction in curiosity. Had his more temperamental son been listening to the discussion?

-----------------------

Raphael lay prone in his bed and on his back, his arms folded under his head. He stared up at the ceiling of his room, listening to the dialogue in the living area through his closed bedroom door. He had heard every word that Beth had shared, felt her anguish, and in that way, now understood the girl's problem. He was certain that Donnie and Mike had, too. Yet, it affected him more than he thought it should.

"She was _raped?"_ he hissed in controlled anger. Knowing the way humans could abuse their own kind, Raphael growled under his breath, "Maybe even beaten and left fer dead?" Narrowing his eyes, the red-banded turtle felt a sudden rage roil up within him.

Flipping over onto his stomach and angrily punching his mattress with his fist, thereby causing the bedsprings to groan out, he seethed, "I'm such a _jerk_," he muttered, "Of _course_; she had to be traumatized to act the way she did; what an idiot I've been!" Resting his brow along the tops of his arms and fuming into his mattress, he recalled every word he had uttered to her. "Some leadah I am. No wonda th'girl's so insecure and afraid."

Now, resting his chin on his arms, Raphael stared at the door to his room, wondering if his brother would find some sort of recovery as well. "That kid's gotta get bettah. I can't continue ta be th' 'shining examp'l forevah'. I'm tired of failin'. God, Leo, what got into ya ta leave us like ya did?"

Sighing deeply, Raph turned back over onto his shell, restless and angry and – suddenly feeling quite guilty about how he had treated Beth. More than that, he kept thinking back to breakfast, about how the girl had tried to look at him without actually - looking at him. He smiled. He wondered if maybe the girl found his brashness more attractive than she was letting on. To himself, he said, "Sure, she might have been embarrassed, but she did seem mildly curious 'bout me!" He snickered. "An' the way she talked ta'me earlier, when she found out 'bout my break'n inta her place; that took moxie!"

Still restless, Raphael sat up in his bed and leaned against the wall, his arms behind his head for support. Crossing his ankles in front of him, he looked out across his room at nothing in particular, almost as if he was daydreaming. "Maybe she's interested in me. I mean, her own specie's already abused her an' all. It'd only be natr'al ta want sumth'n diff'rent." He then scrunched his face up and shook his head, "Naw, not me, not with Splinter Junior already at first base." Huffing, Raph grumbled as he looked back at his bedroom door, "Still, it's not like she would consider any of us, regardless of how she's been treated by her own." Sighing almost resolutely, he closed his eyes and said sadly, "We're prob'ly noth'n but freaks of nature ta her."

Finally, Raph yawned and realized that he was more tired than he had tried to act a while ago at breakfast. As he slipped back down to lie prone on his mattress and on his shell, he knew that he had only wanted to get away from the human, the girl that seemed to chaff at him more than he was willing to admit. It had been a very long time since anyone from topside had visited the lair. Ever since April had died, Raph attempted to forget what it was like to have a female voice echoing off the brick walls of his home. Now, to have another human – and a woman at that – residing in his lair, brought back unsettling and grievous memories that pained his heart.

Simply put, he missed April – terribly. His family knew that he had had a crush on the reporter; yet it tore at him over what he was with what he wanted. When she had died in what they learned later had been an ambush to exterminate his family, Raph grieved in the only way he knew how. He ran topside for days, sometimes weeks at a time, leaving his family to cope alone with their own tragic loss. Leo had learned, then, to let his brother go, to allow Raph to be himself, instead of hounding him on every ninjitsu principal the red-banded turtle abused. Yet, as it turned out, it seemed to help both of them to come back to their being brothers, once again.

Just the same, over the course of months and then years, it seemed that the pressure of leading had finally worn Leonardo down. It became so bad that over the past several months, he would leave the lair unannounced, causing his father to worry needlessly. Nevertheless, Raph thought it terribly, if not humorously, ironic; that his father's favorite son was beginning to behave almost as rebelliously as he did. Still, until Leonardo came back to his senses, it was necessary to choose a temporary leader. And, much to his dismay, Raph had been Splinter's obvious choice.

"Ta think that I wanted that posishun all these years, too." Raph chuckled, "Silly me!" As he thought about it, though, he knew he would now gladly hand the mantel of leadership back to Leo. "I've 'ad enough of bein' head of _this_ family. I want my freedom back!"

Raph suddenly chuckled, "If Miss Beth does have any ideas about Leo, though, she better be glad his mem'ry's the way it is." Shaking his head, the turtle muttered, "If he ever does get himself back again, I don't think Mr. Perfect will be as cozy with 'er as he's been!" Grinning, Raph then mused to himself, "Then, again, it might mean she'd have to look elsewhere for friendship!"

Just before he closed his eyes to get his much-needed rest, however, Raphael strained to hear what else was going on in the living area. He quieted himself, listening to his father through the closed bedroom door, as Splinter spoke once again to the girl.

"And as you become stronger in mind, my child," the rat said, "you will also become stronger in spirit. Returning to your own world will then be easier for you."

"What – if she doesn't want to return, though?" Leonardo asked hesitantly, looking at the girl as his heart skipped a beat. The thought of Beth leaving the lair worried him a great deal. He liked Beth, and enjoyed her company. Leo couldn't say why, exactly, except that for some strange reason, she seemed to fill a void; a void he could not explain, other than it was deep inside of him. He knew instinctively that it was the main reason why he was in the alleyway in the first place, or, at the very least, what prompted him to leave the comfort and safety of his home. Had he been lonely? Had he realized his uniqueness would always insure such loneliness? Leonardo wondered if maybe his life as a mutant turtle offered nothing more than what lived with him in the abandoned subway station; a rat for a father and three others like himself for brothers. Existing underground and breathing stale air, living on what he learned were castoffs from grocery stores and dumpsters, seemed like a dismal existence. Maybe his other 'self' tired of such a life, desiring more, and, thereby, forcing him to rebel and go topside.

Whatever it was, Leo understood and knew that Beth could not leave. He would not let her leave, he needed her, wanted her, and in the end, he would have her.

As he pondered these thoughts and as his own anxiety increased, he heard his father reply to his question.

"Leonardo, my son, it is unfair to keep Beth down here among us, when she is a creature of topside. As soon as she has acquired some measure of control and improvement over her disorder, we can do nothing less than to return her to her apartment – and as soon as possible."

Nodding reluctantly, Leo reached over and took up Beth's hand, gently squeezing it. He looked over at her as she smiled at him, eagerly returning her expression with a smile of his own. Longing filled his eyes though, a longing that did not go unnoticed by his father. Splinter's face narrowed as he studied his son, recognizing all too easily the desire glazing over Leonardo's countenance. The rat knew, more now than before, that the sooner the girl returned to topside, the better. He knew that, so long as Beth remained in their lair, she would only hinder his son's recovery. There was something he sensed in his son that said as much.

Just the same, that was something the ninja master would not allow, not at any cost, not even to ensure their guest's recovery. His family came first, it always had, and most especially with his oldest son, Leonardo.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	17. It's All About Control

**_DISCLAIMER_**_ – Ah, last time I checked, Leo, Raph, Don, and Mike – as well as Splinter - still belong to Mirage Studios and anyone affiliated with that industry. As for this story, it's mine, all mine…except for the inspiration for writing it, which is Leo Oneal (Beth). By the way, has anyone heard from her recently? Maybe some of you MSN with her. I haven't been able to get any E-mails to her via her E-mail addy. She was moving and, well, I'm just concerned about her, since she does habitually cruise Fan Fiction on a daily basis._

_Anyway, on with the chapter….._

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**CHAPTER 17 – It's All About Control**

As he sat in a lotus position on his bed, Leonardo attempted to meditate. He had been trying to empty his mind of distractions and had been doing so for quite a while, yet Beth's image kept invading what should have been a void in his consciousness.

_"You need to relax and think of nothing, my son," _was what his father had instructed him to do. _"It will be difficult at first, but through much practice you will succeed."_

Earlier, after Splinter had finished with Beth's first session, he had directed Leonardo to his room to meditate further. However, the turtle hadn't wanted to. Privately, he wanted to stay as close to Beth as he could. Consequently, he had been quite reluctant to obey his master, his refusal to cooperate almost resulting in a confrontation with him. Nevertheless, through gentle persuasion, the rat persisted, and Leo finally relented, albeit reluctantly. Leaving Beth on the couch to continue practicing what he had taught her, Splinter then followed his son into his room and, once Leo was on the bed and in the lotus position, the rat shared what he sensed from moments before.

"I can tell that Beth has affected you quite deeply, my son."

Leo looked away, blushing as if he had been caught doing something wrong. Nodding a little in admittance, he quietly replied, "Yes, Father…I – do like her." Leo then looked up into his master's face, receiving from him a kind but sad smile.

"Just as I thought," Splinter replied softly. As he sat down next to his son, the rat laid a gentle paw on Leo's arm and sighed, "Although I understand how you feel towards her, you must also understand that a union between the two of you is not possible."

"Why?" Leo asked turning to face his father in sudden surprise, his eyes filling with desperation. He could feel a tightness gripping his chest, as if a tremendous weight now rested against it. Just hearing his father's dismal words brought emotions so grievous to him, that Leonardo had all he could do to keep from leaping up off the bed in anger.

Although the rat easily sensed his son's rising ire, he also knew that he had to be truthful with him. "She is human; you are not," Splinter explained evenly, "Even if I should bless your relationship with Beth, where would she live? She is a creature of light, Leonardo, while you and your brothers, as well as myself, hide in the shadows underground. To expect her to live here with you would be unfair to her."

"But, I know that if she loves me as much as I do her, she'll want to stay with me." Leo rushed his words, confident in what he was feeling and hoping that his father would understand.

Splinter replied sadly, "Yes, that is a possibility, but you do not know for sure if Beth would or could return your feelings." He patted his son's shoulder as he said, "She has been terribly traumatized, Leonardo, and for someone so afflicted, recovery is often a very long road. Considering her experiences, Beth may not be capable of reflecting your love, not in the way that you would want." The rat sighed and then rose up to stand before his son. Now, his voice took on a more authoritative tone as he instructed, "Nevertheless, for now we must get her to a point where she can continue her recovery in her apartment. As for you, I want you to meditate on this, to seek out the wisdom of such a relationship." He reached over and cupped his son's chin with one paw, looking deeply into Leonardo's eyes as his tone softened, "I fear that if you do not, your heart will suffer greatly as a result."

It was then that Splinter gave Leo his last bit of instructions about clearing his mind of any distracting thoughts – including those regarding Beth.

Now, thirty minutes later, Leo was attempting once again to think of 'nothing'. As he sat there on his bed with his eyes closed and his breathing slow and even, he sighed in frustration. Suddenly, a random thought invaded his forced tranquility; he wished that his family had never found him. Leo knew that if they hadn't, he might have ended up living with Beth forever. Yet, he knew that such thoughts were defeating the purpose of his meditating and, more than anything, he wanted to prove to himself, as well as to his father, that his feelings for the girl were right.

On the other hand and while seated in the living room, Beth seemed to be having more success with her meditation. Splinter had returned to her after leaving Leonardo in his room, assisting her further in reaching a certain level of enlightenment. The 'enlightenment' wasn't a word-based experience, per se', as it was one filled with a floating sense of peace. With her eyes closed, there was a moment where she would have sworn she was physically hovering above the cushion. In that instant, it seemed as if all of her cares and fears had melted away, drifting far from her mind like a retreating cloud evaporating under a hot, summer sun. Amazing her even more, she was able to maintain her peaceful state when the image of the man who had raped and assaulted her came to mind. It was almost as if her subconscious was attempting to tease her into another episode. Just the same, she surprised herself when she successfully dismissed it without ending up in another state of panic.

Soon after, she heard a soft, fatherly voice encourage her, "Well done, child. You are learning that the mind is much more of a powerful ally than the enemy it has been for you."

With those words, Beth's second meditative session ended, and – as it did – at the same time Raphael's bedroom door suddenly opened. Soon, the red-banded turtle emerged into the living area. As he swaggered into the room, he stretched and yawned, obviously fresh from just waking up. Beth immediately took notice of him, though, as he did her, but only for a moment as he proceeded towards the kitchen. Now, she seemed caught between her relaxed state of being and the sudden jump in her emotions.

Reading her distress by her widening eyes, Splinter gently touched her hand, drawing her attention back towards him as he quietly warned, "Do not dismiss too soon the progress you have made, Miss Beth." He looked at her with compassion, "Remember what I have said about my son, he is more than what you have been allowed to see."

Nodding, Beth sighed and tried to reclaim the feeling she felt only a moment before when she emerged from her meditation. Although she tried not to stare at him, nevertheless, her peripheral vision followed Raphael as he strode purposefully into the kitchen. She watched as he yanked open the door of one of the appliances.

"Hey, Sensei," Raph called out as he stood before the now-opened refrigerator, peering inside as if looking for something, "did Mike or Don swipe my last bottle?"

"I would not know, Raphael," replied Splinter dispassionately, "Maybe you should ask them?"

"Yeah, maybe I should, eh?" Raph then closed the refrigerator door with a bang and walked out of the kitchen. As he made his way through the living area and towards Mike's bedroom, Raph glanced over at Beth and his father. He smiled at them, or – more to the point – at her, and then cocked his head as he remarked, "So, Splintah's been showin' ya the ropes, eh?" Raphael gave her a lop-sided grin and then nodded, "Yep, he's the master of that, all right." However, he suddenly sobered as he noticed his father's raised eyebrows. They seem to question Raphael's comment, which then prompted the turtle to say in defense, "An' I – ah - meant that in a good way, too, Sensei," slowing his march towards the bedrooms only slightly as if anticipating a reply.

"I'm sure you did, Raphael," Splinter muttered softly. He shook his head and waited, watching as his son continued towards his destination. Soon, Raph was rapping his knuckles against Mike's bedroom door.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, Mikey, you take my last bottle of beer?" Raph asked in annoyance.

"Ah, might have, why?" Mike replied warily.

"Then, that means only one thing, bro…" the red-banded turtle exclaimed threateningly, as he crossed his arms in front of him and leaned into the closed sub-car door. He looked down at his feet, smiling and waiting for his brother's response.

"An'…that is?" his brother asked speculatively.

Snickering and looking back up at the door, "Ya get to replace it. Before dinnertime. Like, in thirty minutes, cause if ya don't have it replaced by then, ya can pay me back in the dojo!" While Mike groaned and swore under his breath, Raph pushed away from the door and headed confidently for the sofa, chuckling lightly under his breath. He clasped his hands together and cracked his knuckles in anticipation.

"But it's still daylight out! I can't go out during the day, you know that!" Mike complained as he impatiently slid open his bedroom door, "Can't you wait until the sun is down, at least?" He leaned against the threshold, shaking his head in disbelief.

"You should'a thought about that when ya stole my beer!" Raph shot back as he plopped down on the opposite end of the couch from where Beth sat, his weight causing the sofa to shift slightly.

"I was thirsty, man!" Mike whined as he stood in his doorway.

"That's what water's for, bro. Next time, ask, 'kay?" Chuckling, he watched as Mike sighed deeply and went back inside his bedroom. Raph then leaned forward to snatch the remote from off the coffee table and, as he did, he noticed Beth watching him, "Hey, Mike, while yer out, grab one of those Polaroid cameras, too; I think Beth is gonna need it!" He stared back at the girl, a crooked smile plastered along his face as he absentmindedly switched the television on, "Mind a little T.V., Beth?" he asked her mischievously, his tone edgy and almost challenging.

Splinter still had his paw on Beth's hand and in that way felt her tense up. "Child, remember what you have learned. Do not let my son's words dictate to you how to respond."

Beth looked back at the rat, swallowing nervously, as she said in a near whisper, "I'm trying, but – he could be nicer."

"Yeah, I could," Raph suddenly boomed out, as he leaned back against the couch. His eyes were now on the television screen as it came to life, "but what would it accomplish, eh? I mean, we're freaks of nature and all that, so what would it gain me if I was ta be nice ta ya?" He looked back over at the girl, "Eh?" He then waited for her answer. He saw her expression of surprise and he knew what that meant. He had already decided he was nothing more than a freak to the girl – and there was his challenge. Despite his remorse for the words he had said earlier to her and his anger with how she became so afflicted, Raph was far too used to the idea of rejection. It was easier for him to react than to think.

In response, Beth could not help but to stare at him, completely stunned by his comments. "I…I don't know what you mean?"

"We're FREAKS!" Raph teased derisively as he leaned a little towards her and asked sarcastically, "You do know what a 'freak' is, right?" He chuckled, then, seemingly amused with the girl's rising irritation.

Thoroughly offended, yet mindful of what she was learning from Splinter about self-control, Beth gently shot back, "I know what nice is and – well – you're not it." She straightened in her seat as she continued to comment, her voice stronger, "Leo's nice, Splinter's nice and even Don and Mikey are nice. Why aren't you?"

Raph sat there, the television completely forgotten now, as he mulled over the girl's question. Her comment had struck hard and pointedly, and it hurt. Finally, with his eyes narrowing, he replied as he clipped his words, "Maybe, it's because I'm a FREAK, lady. Maybe…it's because I live in a sewer like a dumb animal. Maybe, it's because if I ever did show my ugly face to your friends up there, " he jerked his thumb skyward, "I'd end up thrown into a zoo, or worse!" He was seething, now, his anger and resentment slowly bubbling to the surface like a volatile volcano.

Beth shook her head, her anger replaced with defensiveness, "I…don't see you as freaks, not any more anyway."

As if suddenly proven right and with a triumphant smile growing along his muzzle, Raph snorted out a laugh and pointed at her, "So, you DO think of us as _freaks_!" Shaking his head, the turtle gloated, "I knew it; I was right all along!" He laughed again as he remarked, "So predictable." Raph slouched even more into the back cushions of the sofa, his attention fixed on the television screen once again. He watched as a car commercial play out. "Gotta get me one of them!" he muttered under his breath as he eyed the televised machinery, now completely ignoring the girl.

Defensively at first, Beth said, "Yes, in the beginning, I did see you as something different, but…certainly not as freaks. That word never entered my mind!" The girl then declared hotly as she rediscovered her ire, "Besides, how _dare_ you even assume what I think or feel. You don't know me at all!"

Not missing a beat, Raph whipped his head back to glare at her, seething angrily as he shot back, "An' I might add that you don't know me eitha, sister!" He sat up straighter as he, once again, ignored the television, "You say I could be nicer? Well, if I was nicer, like Leo, what would you be thinking, eh?" He smirked, "You know that he likes you, don'cha? Yeah…" he saw the sudden surprised look on the girl's face, "Yeah, and…" Raph looked over at his brother's bedroom, "I'm pretty sure it's more than just 'liking you'; the way he moons after you, the way he looks at you." He turned back to challenge Beth, only his fathers' gaze caught his attention. Swallowing, Raphael knew that he, once again, had said too much. While his eyes remained fixed on his father's, a silent communication carried on between them. Finally, the turtle sighed and looked away. Working his jaw tensely, he swallowed, remembering all too well his train of thought from earlier when he was supposedly 'sleeping' in his bedroom. He sighed again. This time his whole countenance shifted considerably, and as a result, he dropped his gaze to his knees.

Beth didn't know what it was that had happened between Splinter and Raphael. It was the strangest thing. It was almost as if Splinter had yelled at him to shut up, yet she did not hear any words spoken between them. Nevertheless, just watching the sudden change in her antagonist's face was an amazing experience for her. Then, before she could even come to terms with it, Raphael made one last remark, although this time his voice had softened considerably and seemed less caustic.

"I'm…sorry, for going on like that. Guess…guess I have issues." He looked away and then suddenly stood up in a rush and walked towards the lair's exit. As he did, Raph announced loudly over his shoulder for all to hear, "I'm goin' fer a run. Back in thirty," and then the turtle quickly climbed up the ladder and through the opening above, leaving the lair so quickly, that Beth watched slack-jawed in surprise.

Finally, she exclaimed quietly in pure amazement, "Wow, he moves fast!" As she turned to look back at Splinter, she asked, "Is…that normal for them…for turtles?"

Splinter shrugged, allowing himself to ease into the backrest of his chair as if exhausted. He mumbled under his breath, "For mutant ones, it is."

-----------------------

Raphael jogged at first, but as he continued to replay in his mind what he had just said to Beth, his jog turned in to an all-out run through the darkened sewers. He knew the tunnels as well as himself, needing very little light to find his way. Yet, even with the occasional ceiling light to break up the monotony of blackness, Raph still stuck to the shadows as much as he could, his instincts running stronger than his legs were carrying him.

He splashed through the murky waters of the underground sewer system, fuming as he ran. Raph cursed a long string of colorful metaphors that, had they gaseous consistency, would have most certainly poisoned the already pungent air that he breathed.

Nevertheless, by the end of mile five, Raph's verbal assault of himself did little to extend his stamina. Now, with his lungs complaining mightily between his race with himself and his frustrated ranting, he began to slow down.

By mile eight, he had slowed to a walk.

Finally, reaching a large opened access point that led outside to a shallow wash, he stopped. A cool breeze was blowing in from the mouth of the concrete opening, bringing with it a fresh bit of air laced with a mixture of saltwater and freshly cut grass. It swarmed around Raph's feet, working its way up and wrapping itself around him. Raph leaned against the cool, damp concrete tunnel wall and sighed deeply, still safely shrouded among the interior shadows as he savored the aroma. As he did, he stared longingly at the brighter exterior of the outside world. Almost despairingly, he again breathed in the sweet savor of fresh air. Where the buildings along the far horizon parted, Raphael caught a glimpse of bright, blue sky. He could also make out the distant sounds of people just beyond the culvert's rise, obviously enjoying a day in the park that ran alongside of the culvert. A bit of grass edged over the man-made lip of the wash, beckoning Raph to explore the temptations of the human world. Yet, he knew it would only bring disaster to him – and, more than likely, to the rest of his family.

Sighing forlornly, Raph kicked at a wayward aluminum can that had backwashed into the tunnel. He watched as the hallow container ricocheted off the opposing wall across from him and skittered noisily towards the outlet's opening. The soda can tipped end over end, its metallic clatter echoing within the vast, empty tunnel. Then, as it caught a nub in the uneven concrete flooring, its trajectory leveled out, allowing it to spin further away from him. As its momentum ceased and as the can came to rest just outside the tunnel mouth, Raphael walked as close to it as he could. He stuck to the shadows that were there, mindful that a simple glimpse of him would be cause for alarm. Yet, as he came to the metal grate that barred anyone outside from entering the sewers, he stood there and stared at the topside world. He suddenly and remorsefully regretted what he had said to Beth. Raph leaned against the metallic barrier and rested his head against its coolness. He groaned silently to himself, "God, my life sucks!"

----------------------

Leo sat bolt upright on his mattress, any chance of meditating squelched beyond recovery. He had heard every word that Raphael so rudely said to Beth and, now, Leonardo growled. It came as a low, threatening rumble that vibrated his plastron and carapace. Yet it was soft enough that only he could hear it. Nevertheless, it was becoming quite apparent to him that, regardless of what Mike, or Don or even Splinter had told him, that he had mended his ways with his hotheaded brother, he was not the Leo of old. He was different and there wasn't any way he would put up with Raph's arrogance anymore, especially concerning Beth.

What made it worse for Leo was the very comment that Raph had made concerning his veiled feelings towards Beth. It rankled at the blue-banded turtle, almost to the point of explosion. That his rude brother would even allude to having such indications for the girl piqued his irritation considerably. As he looked down at his injuries, though, Leonardo knew that if he did challenge Raphael to a fight, he would be at a cruel disadvantage. Flexing his arms, he winced slightly. It was obvious that he was still sore from whoever it was that had beaten him up. Where his cuts were just starting to mend, he didn't dare compound his problem by getting into another clash, at least, not for a while.

Then, as he heard Raph announce his run and then leave the lair, Leo began to plan. He would wait, he decided, until he had healed, or at least to a point where he would not have to worry about opening his cuts. Leo would then find an opportunity to knock some sense into Raphael and, by that measure alone, let him know what he could say, and what he could not say, to Beth.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

****


	18. Memories

**_DISCLAIMER_**_ – My apologies for taking so long in getting this chapter up.__ I've had it written for a while, but there were aspects to it that were either rough around the edges or just bugged me outright. I took a break, hoping to return with fresh eyes. Either way, here it is and, unless I get an epiphany, it's all I have to offer right now. The story theme is daunting in that I'm trying to keep the TMNT's in character as much as I can, Beth in character, Splinter wise (and where I'm writing this, it's an oxymoron at best!), and keep things progressing towards the kind of ending I want for the story. _

_As always, I own nothing but my own fat. Oh, and thanks to Pacphys for beta reading for me. You rock, girl:0)_

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**CHAPTER 18 – Memories.**

"Hey, Donnie-boy, need some fresh air?" Mike asked as he ducked his head through the opened doorway of his brother's sub-car, turned bedroom.

"I'm not going to the store _for you_ or _with you_, Mike. I told you when you took that beer, you better ask Raph first, but – did you?" Don said as he looked up from his book and waited. He was lounging up against his bedroom wall, with his legs sprawled along his bed and had several pillows piled up behind his carapace for support. He watched as his younger brother stared back at him, a still hopeful expression on his face. However, the longer Don stared and held to his position, the more that hopeful look on Mike's face began to melt away.

Finally, after a few minutes, Mike sighed and shrugged in defeat as he turned back to the living room. "Fine, I'll go by myself," he mumbled, trudging towards the ladder, adding as he walked, "Guess I'll use the safe route, the one that goes past Liberty Avenue,"

Yet, no sooner had the words left his mouth than Donatello emerged from his bedroom, wearing his trench coat and fedora hat. The orange-banded turtle glanced over at his brother, a knowing smile spreading across his face. Yes, he thought, it might have been a cruel trick to play, but Liberty Avenue was his trump card, the junkyard located there a certain leverage to get his brainiac brother to come along.

"You know, Mike," Don growled as he sidled up next to him, glaring at his youngest brother as he pulled his hat down tighter over his head, "you'd make a good conman."

"S'what I do best, Donnie-boy!" Mike crowed, nearly skipping to the ladder, now that he wasn't going topside alone.

As she watched the two, Beth couldn't help but chuckle at Mike.

When he heard her, Mike turned Beth's way with a widening grin, "Do I know my brother, or don't I?"

Sniggering, Mike then swiftly climbed the rungs, his coat bellowing around him as he did. He was followed closely by a grumbling Don, who continued to complain about _'manipulative siblings'_ and _'the next time I need to see that one coming'_.

As the two turtles disappeared up through the hole in the ceiling and into the underbelly of New York City, Leonardo watched while he stood just inside his room. He kept back within the shadows there, the light turned out just before he slid open the door. He looked over at Beth and saw that she was watching as Mike and Don ascended through the lair's roof. Then, when they disappeared all together, Splinter said something to her, causing her to turn back around to face him. Leo didn't hear what it was his father had said, but he did hear Beth's response.

She laughed a little, commenting, "You're right. It seems that Don isn't the only one with a keen mind; if Mike knows what to say to get him to do things."

"My child," Splinter said, "Michelangelo often pretends to be ignorant of many things, but I sense he has more insight to his brothers than they themselves are aware of." The rat then chuckled, "I believe it is this which makes him easy to get along with…that is, unless he is bored. Then," Splinter sighed, "he can become quite annoying, I'm afraid." He laughed along with Beth, saying as an afterthought, "Still, he does offer his family many opportunities for amusement. Michelangelo is the one who can make any of us smile when he feels we need to."

Leo listened from where he stood, absorbing this new bit of information regarding Mike. He hadn't really had a chance to get to know any of his brothers well, other than what confrontations he had with Raph. Mike, though, had come across as a sort of clown to Leo, someone who always saw the bright side of things. Nevertheless, despite Leo's original impression that Mike might not have the intelligence of Don, based on Splinter's admission it seemed as if Michelangelo's quotient with understanding his family was equal to Don's genius regarding electronics.

Nevertheless, Leo hestiated coming out of his room. What Raphael had admitted to moments ago still piqued his anger – and his embarrassment. How could he face Beth, now that Raph divulged how Leo felt regarding her? Although he was certain she felt the same way, Splinter's words from earlier had affected him; what if his father was right and Beth wasn't able to return Leo's affection?

Still, he knew he couldn't stay in his room forever. Therefore, taking a deep breath, Leo came out of his subway car and headed deliberately towards the kitchen.

Noticing Leo's presence and a subtle bit of discord, Splinter asked, "My son, are you feeling all right?" The master could sense a disturbance in Leonardo's mood as the rat watched him from his chair. The turtle seemed a bit chagrined, yet determined, too, and maybe just a bit irritated as well.

"Yes, Sensei," Leo replied curtly, clipping his next words short in frustration, "I'm fine. Just…couldn't meditate any more," he grumbled. He went to the refrigerator and nearly yanked it opened, almost reminiscent with the way Raphael had done a while earlier. Taking out a container of orange juice and then closing the appliance, he next procured a glass from one of the cupboards. He promptly filled it with the chilled, golden liquid. As he watched the juice flow into the cup, he could only think about the impropriety of what Raph had done and what he had told Beth.

_"What nerve!"_ he thought to himself, huffing a bit as he snorted.

Splinter watched as his son quickly gulped down the entire glass of juice, the effects of the citrus aftertaste causing the turtle to grimace slightly from the tart flavor.

"I sense a great agitation within you, Leonardo; might you want to talk about it?" the rat asked.

"We've already talked about it, Father." Leo snapped, setting his now-empty glass down hard onto the counter. He then turned towards his sensei, his face stern, yet he quickly noticed a swift look of rebuke cross the rat's face. However, it soon faded, almost as if Splinter had decided not to react, as he normally would have.

"Ah, yes…your…brother, Raphael." Splinter remarked as he came to a sudden understanding. He pointed to the couch to indicate for Leonardo to sit down.

Rolling his eyes and sighing, Leo stood there, not wanting to sit, but the more he looked over at his father and saw the compassionate expression on the rat's face, he finally relented.

"Fine, I'll sit, listen, and do whatever, but it won't make me like him or like the way he treats people."

"Leonardo, I cannot force you to like him," Splinter admitted as Leo walked over and gruffly sat down on the couch. The rat watched as Leo looked over at Beth, observing his son's expression as it softened considerably when the girl's eyes met his. _"Yes, he does indeed like her,"_ the ninja master mused sadly to himself, _"Yet, I must get them to understand what exactly is going on with Raphael. Otherwise..."_

Splinter suddenly cleared his throat, thereby grabbing both Beth and Leonardo's attention. He said, "I would like to tell you a story."

The rat waited for the two to look over at him, and once he had their attention, he began, "There was once a young man who lived all of his life hidden from the world. No one knew he existed." Splinter sighed and allowed his gaze to drift away from the two on the couch, settling on the far wall, "Although the world might have been ignorant of his existence, the young man was not ignorant of the world, and he wished with all of his being that he could be part of it. Sadly, though, he was too different to let the world discover him, as it would have brought him much harm and despair." Splinter looked back at the couple sitting on the sofa, continuing, "Nevertheless, an event brought him together with two from that world who befriended him. As a result, they allowed this young man to experience his first relationship outside of his limited existence. These two touched him deeply and in such a profound way that they allowed him to feel what the other world would call 'normal'."

Beth and Leonardo listened intently, their eyes and ears riveted to the aged ninja master, as he spoke to them.

Splinter's face saddened considerably, now, and as he lowered his face a little as he looked at his hands lying in his lap, he continued, "Unfortunately, one of them died a horrific death and the other one disappeared soon afterwards, leaving the young man friendless once again and…very sad." The rat turned liquid, brown eyes back towards the two on the couch, "You see, one became a close friend to him, a best friend. He and this young man spent many hours together. They had a lot in common. As for the other friend, before she died, this young man had fallen in love with her. However, she could not fulfill that love because she was so different from him and lived in the world where he could not. Sadly, this caused great distress and anger in the young man, and when she died, it left him scarred, lonely, and - hateful to those who caused her death. When his best friend disappeared soon after, he tried to find him, but without success. Sadly, as it turned out, the young man was, once again, alone, yet filled with more despair than he had been before he knew them."

Beth's eyes teared up, feeling the loneliness of the 'young man' through Splinter's story. The account had touched her heart and, for a moment, she forgot about Leonardo sitting next to her, even though he had taken her hand in his during Splinter's tale.

"W-what…happened to him?" she asked in concern.

Splinter smiled a little, sensing her worry and glad for it, as it was something he had hoped for, "He is venting some of that anger right now, child," he told her.

A puzzled expression came to Beth's face, her brow wrinkling in confusion, "H-how…would you know _that_?" She looked back over at Leo and saw that he, too, seemed to be wondering the same question, that is, if his own furrowed brow was any indication. Then, Beth eyes widened slightly and she looked back over at Splinter. With a startled expression, she asked, "Raphael?"

"Yes," Splinter answered simply, smiling and quite pleased with the girl's sudden realization.

Both Leonardo and Beth were stunned. At first, Beth had honestly thought that what Splinter was telling them was only a story, one to amuse and to entertain them. Yet, she instantly knew that in one brief moment, he had told them much about why Raphael was so angry. Chastised and feeling something other than resentment and fear, Beth now pondered the rat's words with more clarity than before.

After a long moment of contemplation, Leo finally admitted, his voice soft and contrite, "I – guess...he's entitled, then, to act the way he does?"

"Indeed he is!" Splinter responded eagerly. He smiled and nodded, "However, I am glad, Leonardo, that your intellect and compassion are not something your amnesia has taken from you." Sighing, the rat went on to state, "Losing these two friends has been very hard on your brother – as it has been for all of us. Even though everyone needs friendship to one degree or another, Raphael probably needs it most of all; maybe even more so than the rest of us."

Nevertheless, Beth sat there quietly, thinking to herself a great deal about the words she had said earlier to the red-banded turtle. Her comment to Raphael, _"Why can't you be nice, too?" _seemed to echo repeatedly in her mind and now appeared quite unfair. She realized that for him to be nice to strangers, especially humans and female ones at that, had brought Raph pain and sadness, much in the same way her trusting and helpful nature had brought her pain.

In that moment, Beth understood her antagonist a bit better, even sympathizing with him a little. She could finally relate to him, where before he seemed as alien in nature to her as the desert was to a rainforest. Now, they seemed to have something in common.

As a result, the story changed Beth's heart a little, allowing something other than dislike and revulsion to influence her in how she should react to Raphael. Although she still liked Leo, she did not see his brother as the boorish brute she had assumed him to be. In fact, as she thought about it, she realized that Raphael had been absolutely right...she didn't know him at all.

In any event, whatever it was that enabled him to do so, Leo sensed the sudden shift in the girl's mood and, in that moment, he turned to look at her. He swallowed deeply, his brow furrowing in worry. He noticed something in Beth's face that told him that Splinter's story had deeply affected her. Yes, he would have to say that he now felt more sympathy for his brother, and maybe he even understood him better. Yet, the expression in Beth's eyes and face told him that, whatever she was feeling, it did not bode well for his relationship with her.

Suddenly, Leo felt a rising panic well up within him, a desperation gripping his heart like a vice, as he envisioned Beth drawn towards Raphael's loneliness. He wondered that, if based on her sympathies and Splinter's story, if she might have become attracted to his brother. Despite the fact that Leo might have lost his advantage and justification to pound Raphael into being nicer towards Beth, his own interest and possessiveness for her only replaced that intent.

Now, instead of the motivation of knocking some sense into Raphael, Leonardo felt a need to protect that which his heart claimed as his. Regardless of Splinter's words from earlier, the turtle knew that his brother was a threat to him. In that moment, he decided that he would not tolerate losing Beth to someone who did not have the decency to speak respectfully to her, nevermind the reasons behind Raph's behavior.

---------------------------

Raphael pushed away from the concrete wall of the tunnel, took one last longing look at the outside world…and then headed for home. Along the way, he came to a turn in the tunnel where it joined with another. He stopped.

One side led back to the lair, while the other led to an access hole that opened up just behind a familiar landmark – and one that he had not used in a very long time.

Raphael hesitated.

Then, almost as if he had come to a sudden decision, he took the tunnel less traveled, with his stride purposeful and determined. He strode deliberately, clenching and unclenching his fists in agitation as he walked, his eyes narrowing as he focused his mind on his destination. Soon arriving at the access shaft in question, he didn't even hesitate as he leaped up to grab the first rung. Effortlessly he pulled himself up to where his feet could find purchase, the water from the sewers dripping along the metal footholds. Then Raph quickly climbed the rest of the way to the heavy, metallic lid above. He then took his right sai from its sheath with his left hand, while holding onto the top rung with his right to steady himself. Expertly and with years of practice ease, Raph eased the tip of his weapon through the side hole of the sewer lid. Then, he suddenly stopped.

Emotions swam over him like a giant overwhelming wave, causing him to suck in his breath as he did. Swallowing deeply and pushing back the undulating feelings, he then narrowed his eyes as he stubbornly proceeded to lift the heavy, circular disk. Slowly it rose up from where it nested in the indention above him.

Almost immediately, the blinding light of day rushed in and caught him full in the face. Wincing instantly against its strength, he quickly recovered in order to assure that no one was standing outside to watch his ascent. Peering between the opening of the sewer and the lid, Raph confirmed that the byway was empty. Yet, for a moment, however, a distant memory rushed at him, one from the past that seemed so long ago, yet - in reality – it had only been seven years.

_It had been dark, nighttime, in fact. Raph and his brothers were on their very first patrol and their excitement was intoxicating. They were all in a grand mood, happy to be outside the sewers and finally putting to test the years of training and wisdom that Splinter had taught them. They were confident in the ways of ninjitsu, with the foursome now enjoying the freedom to roam the city. _

_As luck would have it, they had come across a gang pilfering electronics from a news van. Unfortunately, a woman – a reporter from the channel 6 news station, had come upon the theft in progress. Unintentionally, she had complicated the turtles' interference, and yet she had set into motion a series of events that would ultimately change their lives forever. _

_As it was, Raph remembered all too well about how he had lost his sai after his and his brothers' first battle, about how the reporter – April - had taken it, not knowing to whom it belonged. He easily remembered peering out from beneath the manhole cover near the news station, much like he was doing now, and watching as the woman slipped the weapon into her purse. The police had been too busy with collecting her tied-up attackers to notice, but - Raph didn't miss a thing. Even now, he could clearly recall the feeling of failure and disappointment he felt at the time._

_Determined to retrieve his precious weapon, though, and despite his sensei's advice to just let it go, Raphael had gone after her the next day. However, it hadn't quite turned out as he had hoped it would. Again, he found himself rescuing her after yet another attack, but this time by ninjas. He would learn later that the black-clad warriors worked for his sensei's hated enemy. _

_Nevertheless, with the girl now unconscious in his arms, he had no other choice but to take her to his clan's hidden lair to keep her safe from her attackers. _

Raph chuckled as he remembered Leo's first words, "Are you CRAZY?" Shaking his head, the red-banded turtle recalled his own, "Yeah, Leo, I am."

_Raph would later learn that the woman's name was April O'Neal, and his eventual friendship with her would bring into motion a relationship that had before only teased and tempted him._

As these memories came flooding back to Raphael full force, they caused the red-banded turtle to hesitate only slightly. He knew that they were merely recollections, visions from the past that did not have anything to do with the here and now. Raph knew this, but it still nagged at the back of his mind, the similarities with what he was currently doing and where he was standing quite evident.

He growled once at his hesitation and the rising strength of his emotions, and then focused on what he knew he had to do next.

Where the sewer access hole opened up, it backed up against a typical New York brownstone building. Situated in a blind alley, there was only a single viewpoint allowed, and it showed only the trash-strewed nature of the vacant and little-used passageway. Thankfully, for the moment, the alley was empty of any human interference.

Confident that he would emerge from the sewers unnoticed, Raph noiselessly eased the lid further off the opening and to one side. He quickly slipped out of the hole, replacing the lid, and then took advantage of the shadows nearby. The angle of the late afternoon sun had dipped far to the opposite side of the brick and mortar structure, the shadows now deeper than they would have been had he come earlier. Slipping into the darkened areas of the alley and ducking behind a garbage bin, Raph waited, holding his breath.

He knew that being out in the bright light of day was not a smart thing to do, regardless of the pre evening shadows. Then again, when did he ever do anything smart? He chuckled a bit and wondered what Mike would say. After all, he had forced his youngest brother out into the same forbidden light, all to replace a single bottle of pilfered beer. If Mike knew where Raph was, he knew what his youngest brother would say, "If you were already going out, why'd you force me to?"

Yeah, Raph was certain that Michelangelo would complain.

After a few moments and when Raph was convinced he was alone in the dead-end alley, he looked at the one door leading into the building behind him. The stoop rested approximately five feet up from the alley floor, accessed by way of wooden stairs that led to a small raised porch that was there. The boarded windows facing the alley were just as they were five years earlier, which was the last time he had found himself currently standing where he was.

This was April's place, her apartment; in fact, the entire building was hers. After the Second Time Around had burned down and after her insurance company had determined that those who invaded her home were responsible, she had used the resulting payoff to purchase another building – this building.

Much of what was in her father's second hand store had been destroyed in the resulting fire, yet there was still enough salvaged to start another, small business. With her career as a journalist and reporter reinstated again, she found that the pre-owned mercantile work offered her a nice weekend hobby. That was the only time it was ever opened, giving her friends free access during the week to lay about and just be somewhere other than down in the sewers.

Nevertheless, it had been nearly six years since any of them had visited, and that fact now weighed heavily against Raphael.

He swallowed, suddenly unsure whether, or not, to proceed. Just the same, he had come this far, so Raphael decided to go the distance and finish what he started.

Although he found the door locked, the ninja expertly compromised the resistance, soon easing the door open. Where it hadn't had much in the way of exercise, the door's hinges creaked audibly. Yet, soon they quieted as whatever rust had built up brushed away with the action between the pin and plate. As quickly as he could, Raph slipped inside, quietly closing the door behind him.

Turning around now, he stood completely still as he listened, smelling the interior, and waiting for his senses to tell him that all was well, that the store and the apartment above were empty. After a moment and finally convinced that he was the only one present, Raphael stepped carefully out of the entryway of the back room and into the storage area of the shop. Noting the still scattered, if dusty remnants of merchandise that the insurance company had left behind, he smiled, then, and shook his head.

When April had purchased the building, she had written up a will. Raph couldn't understand at the time why she had done this. It wasn't as if the insurance company would be able to locate her listed recipients. At the time, even Leo had questioned her sanity, wondering if she had even considered the many problems it might cause them.

Raphael remembered his brother's exact words, in fact. "Are you NUTS? How can we claim this place, April? I mean, the insurance company won't just hand this place over to us, no matter what the will states. We're not even considered human – citizens, for that matter."

Yet, she had persisted and insisted, telling all of them that in the end, if it ever came to pass the she did die before they did, they would have a place to go to other than the sewers. As it turned out, because the insurance people were unable to find the recipients stated in her will, namely her four turtle friends and their mentor, Splinter, the authorities had no other recourse but to keep the building in its present state and off limits to any buyers. The only thing they did was to clear out as much of the junk as they could.

As it turned out, it ended up being a brilliant move by their thoughtful friend. The property was still considered privately owned, although defunct from any potential buyers.

Just the same, however, April's demise had been so tragic and their loss so great, that none of Raph's brothers, or even himself, ever wanted to visit the building again. It reminded them all too much of the pain her passing had caused them. The memories were too sharp and clear – even now.

Sucking in a hesitant and shaky breath, Raphael knew that he had to make this sojourn. He had to be here, to think, to ponder, to…ask forgiveness. After all, if it were not for him, April might still be alive. Yet, despite his guilt, despite how it weighed against him, he had to do this. It was something that Don had suggested years earlier, and one that Raphael had rejected at the time. Yet, he knew that it now had to be done, if only so when he returned to the lair, he could get on with his life. Maybe then, and he knew that it was a slim chance at best; he might have a chance at another friendship…again.

At the very least, what baggage he had stubbornly held onto, today would be the day he would finally get rid of it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	19. Recovery

**_DISCLAIMER – _**_One more time – don't own them, other than Beth, the new apartment, and the storyline. Enough said._

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 19 - Recovery**

Mike and Don chatted amongst themselves as they traipsed back through the sewers towards home. Both had in-hand what they had left the lair for; Mike with Raph's six pack, and Donnie with – well – whatever it was, Mike was certain it was too complicated for _him_ to understand. As it was, anything electronic in nature confused him.

Yet, as Mike observed, what Don carried looked like a board the size of a loaf of bread. Along one side were tiny dabs of silvery metal, with equally tiny tubular beads interspersed here and there, almost in afterthought. When his brainy brother extracted the board from the discarded computer they found at the junk yard, Mike noted that a person could easily string the elongated plastic globules like a necklace. That is, if one removed the tiny wires from the beads that fastened them to the board.

When Mikey casually mentioned this creative idea to his brother, Donnie looked back at him with disdain.

"You haven't any idea what this is, do you, Mike?" he had asked his clue-less brother.

"Um, if I did, d'ya think I'd compare it to jewelry?" Mike deadpanned, hand on hip, as he glanced nervously around the yard.

"Obviously not," was his brother's dry reply, going back to the computer to see if there was anything else salvageable.

At the time, though, Mike just wanted to get going. He hated junk yards and was getting a bit nervous, if only because some of the yards had teeth, teeth that belonged to guard dogs that often lived in such environments. He'd had only one run-in with such animals and, after that encounter, it pretty much settled it for him. Plunging into piles of refuse and discards was not worth the bite marks from creatures that moved faster than any ninja could. Well, ninja such as Mike, who was prone to distraction, especially with discoveries such as disposed comic books. Fortunately, his experience with the guard dog did not alter his love for his favorite hobby, and for that, he was glad.

In any event, whatever it was that Don had found, he had eagerly thanked his youngest, conniving brother for talking him into coming along. The resulting gleam in Don's eye told Mike that he would definitely have to remember the Liberty Ave Junkyard the next time he had to go out again. Where there didn't seem to be any dogs around in this particular location, he decided that it seemed safer than most.

Now, as they made their way back to the lair, they were sharing thoughts about their guest.

"So, d'ya think Leo likes her?" Mike asked in amusement. He skirted around a pile of 'something' that reeked with a smell akin to rotting meat, causing the turtle to wrinkle his snout in disgust. "Eee yuck," he murmured under his breath, looking back at it as he walked alongside his brother.

"Kind of obvious, Mike," Don sighed, ignoring the smelly mound as he, too, moved around it, "I mean, Leo's been as close to her as a bee to honey."

"What…do you think'll happen, once he gets his mem'ry back, though?" his little brother asked, turning a concerned look at Don.

Don was silent for a moment, his head down as he thought and walked. The tunnel became unusually quiet, save for the sound of run-off water as it gurgled and flowed through the center culvert on its way to the reclamation plant. The two brothers took a bend in the tunnel, almost absentmindedly. Their knowledge of the sewers was as familiar to them as their own skin. Finally, Don looked up, "Well, if Leo recovers completely and comes back to his senses, I only hope that Beth hasn't fallen in love with him."

"Ah, earth to Don, she's _human. _There's been only one other lady who had the opportunity and she's – well – April was one of a kind, know what I mean?" Mike shook his head, as memories of their friend caused his chest to tighten slightly.

"But, Beth doesn't have a very high regard for her own species," Don explained, "Leo's been very protective of her, very caring, and – if anything – Beth needs someone like that. The fact that he's _not_ human is only an added benefit for her." Sighing, Don admitted, "At the very least, he's been a balm to her very tortured and injured soul." Pursing his lips and sighing, he added, "No, I wouldn't be surprised if she did fall in love with him."

"Well, I hope yer wrong, bro." Mike mused quietly, "I don't think Sensei will tolerate something like that happening again."

"Not with how it turned out for April – and for Raph." Don agreed.

As they came to a familiar joining of two sewer lines, Mike stopped. He asked solemnly as he pointed towards the left tunnel, "Hey, Donnie, remember this?"

Swallowing, Don nodded, his voice soft and sad, "Yep, seems like yesterday, doesn't it, Mike?"

"Yep, sure does," the orange-banded turtle admitted, equally as sad. Then, he perked up, "Hey, let's go visit, 'kay? I mean, we're already talking about her and she did leave it to us. I think out of respect, we should at least go by and give our regards."

"Mike," Don quickly turned his head around to look at his baby brother. His voice now took on a serious tone, "it's only a building, that's all it is."

"Yeah, but it's Ape's building, ours, really – if you want to split hairs." Mike remarked earnestly.

"I don't have any hairs to split, I'm reptilian, remember?" Don smirked.

"Really? You don't say," Mike chuckled, and then turned on his heal towards the tunnel in question. He called back as he walked into the dark recesses of the pipe, "Well, I'm goin'. I think if Ape was able to look down on all of us and knew we've never been back ever since she…well, anyway, she'd be pretty insulted."

"Hey, come back here; we can't just…oh, for Pete's sake, Mike, you're always getting distracted." Don complained as he hurried his pace to catch up with his brother.

Mike's cheery voice echoed back from the enveloping dark of the sewer tunnel, "Hey, I know what I'm doin',"

"That'd be a first," Don muttered under his breath.

He quickly caught up with his brother. Soon the two turtles arrived at the familiar access shaft embedded into tunnel's sidewall. They both stood there, their arms laden with their possessions, and looked up as the shaft curved towards topside. They stared and then, almost as one, they both remarked softly, "Someone's been here." The shaft was virtually unused by the sewer maintenance workers, where it opened up to a dead-end alley behind the building that was once April's. It had been several years since any of them had ever ventured this way. Now, to find fresh, wet footmarks worried them.

As they stared up at the ladder that led to the exit above, droplets of water coated each rung. It was obvious to the two brothers that someone had recently been there and had climbed up the sewer shaft.

"Ya think it's Raph?" Mike asked as he looked quizzically over at Don.

His brother replied softly as he stared at the metal rungs, "From what I heard back in the lair, before he left so quickly, I'd say he's still working through stuff. Beth's only forced the issue with her presence." He went over to the rungs and, using his hand to measure the span of water collected there, nodded and said, "It's a wide foot that climbed up, so…yeah, I think it's Raph." He glanced up towards the manhole cover as his eyeridges rose, and then Don sighed. He then released his breath in one, long sustained exhalation. Don turned round to face Mike, "Well, do we go up or do we go home?" Don knew that if Raph was indeed inside of April's building, more than likely he would not appreciate any intrusion.

Mike pursed his lips in thought, chewing the inside of his cheek as he did. Finally, he jerked his head upwards towards the sewer lid and stated, "If he is revisiting some old 'friends', I think we'd better be there for him. But, let's not act like we're there for _him_, 'kay?" He quirked a smile, "We're just checking in on the old place, s' all. How're we t'know he'd be there, too, eh?"

"Right. Can't let the guy know we care, god forbid," Don remarked under his breath as he tucked the computer breadboard under his left arm.

Then, with Don leading the way, both turtles began their ascent in single file, climbing up through the sewer access shaft and towards the alley above

-----------------

Raph squeezed his eyes tight. He tried hard not to give in to it, but he just couldn't help it. The sudden cry that ripped from his mouth surprised him, yet he allowed it, nonetheless. It amazed him; it felt good to finally to have release.

As he sobbed, he sat on his knees and on the floor of the second story in what used to be April's living room. Earlier, Raph had wandered aimlessly around the shop several floors below. Absentmindedly he would pick up objects, impassively inspect them, only to then put them back down again. Raphael tried to fight the emotions growing inside of him as each minute ticked by. Yet, every turn he made in the shop only reminded him of his loss, his family's loss. At one point, he wondered if it was even wise for him to be there.

"What was I think'n?" he suddenly panicked. Yet, for some strange reason, he couldn't leave. It was as if the building had cast a spell over him, forcing him against his will to stay there until he confronted his fears.

Now, an hour later and as he wept, Raph succumbed to his latent grief, allowing its emergence. He hugged himself tightly; his chin nestled into the top of his plastron as his torment and heartbreak sang forth. Unabated tears ran down his face in glistening lines. They pooled along the top edge of each plate on his plastron, and then cascaded down in gentle streams.

Raph never knew he could cry so hard, yet he seemed unwilling or unable to stop.

He knew that this was something Donnie had told him he needed to do, shortly after April's sudden death. Yet, the red-banded turtle had bellowed to everyone at the time that the only way he would express his grief would be to 'pound the life' out of the 'scumbag' who had killed her. His revenge and avengement of his friend's murder would be the only way he would grieve.

Yet, no matter how hard he tried, no matter how far he looked, Raph had failed to find the man. It only added more despair to his heart.

Now, here in her store and surrounded by her things, Raph had no other choice but to grieve in the way that his family had done years before. All the emotions that he had pushed back, all of the memories he had refused to acknowledge, assaulted him relentlessly and without mercy.

Raphael thought for sure that his heart would break.

---------------

They watched silently from the doorway. Moments earlier, they had heard the cry of grief filter down through the stairwell and into the store far below. They had hesitated only slightly, before stealing their way upstairs, and now Mike and Don watched as their brother's inner torment sounded out. Individually, they both revisited their own grief, yet they kept themselves in control, lest they interrupt Raphael's venting. Don only had give Mike a single glance and a stern expression to keep him quiet. A subtle nod from Don towards Raph also told Mike that whatever and how ever long it took, their brother needed to see this through. He needed to cry.

Now, they stood like sentries, compassionately watching over their brethren as he sobbed. Fortunately for them, Raph's focus was so much on his grief, that their presence went undetected.

For half an hour, Raphael expressed his deepest sorrow, believing he was alone and only in the company of his memories. He thought of the many times April had visited them, how many times he and his brothers would visit her. Raph thought of the movie marathons that Mike would inflict upon April, yet patiently she would oblige him, even providing the pizza or whatever snack they wanted. She was more than a friend to them, or to him; she was like family.

Now, Raphael lamented bitterly, reminding himself, that she was gone, taken from them by someone who didn't deserve even the air in his lungs. He pounded the wood flooring, causing a few loose items still littering the room to rattle in response. He pounded the floor yet again. His rising anger and his grief almost doubled as he did. As Raphael inflicted yet another abusive strike against the wood floor, an audible 'crack' sounded out. He sat straight up, and waited, his eyes wide. He noticed a thin line snake a short ways where his fist had met violently against the wood. It wouldn't impede the floor's integrity, but it did alarm him, nonetheless. Then, almost as if a shadow had passed over his mind, Raph whipped his head around towards the front door.

There was nothing there. Yet, he could still sense something, almost like an echo of a person's presence. He squinted at the opened doorway, focusing and working his jaw in irritation, his eyes red and puffy from crying. Snorting, he shook his head and muttered under his breath, "Must have been my imagination; better've been my imagination!" Just considering someone from his family witnessing his grief caused a bitter ire to well up in his chest, yet what were the chances that any of them would even venture back to April's apartment. None of them had in the long years since her death, and he knew that Mike and Don were still in the lair when he left.

Sighing deeply to dispel the remaining remnants of his grief, Raph sat back on his heels and relaxed. He looked up at the ceiling and then closed his eyes, wrapping his arms protectively around him as he did.

"God, April, I miss you so…much," his voice quavered. "Why'd this have ta happen t'you? You didn't deserve that kind of death, ya know."

He shuddered again as a residue of sorrow found its way back to his throat again. Raph sobbed once more, but only briefly this time, and then, when he felt he had vented as much as he could, he stood up. He turned slowly in a complete circle, wiping his eyes and taking in every nook and cranny as he surveyed the room. He wanted to burn every item he saw forever into his mind, determined never to forget, because he decided right then he would never return. As he took in the apartment, a strange peace seemed to wash over him. It was then that he finally found acceptance, knowing that April would never come back to him. That thought saddened Raphael, but he didn't feel the need to cry anymore. He didn't have to, because he had finally allowed his grief the freedom it needed. He had finally extricated his demons.

Donnie was right, Raph mused wryly, crying was what he needed to do. It seemed that his brainiac brother was always right.

Taking a deep breath, Raphael turned to leave the room and the apartment. Yet, as he did, he spied one lone item that caused him to smile a little. He walked over to where it sat on the display stand and stood there, studying it for a moment. He hesitated only briefly. Quickly and without futher thought, Raph snatched it up with one hand and tucked it safely under his arm, and resolutely headed towards the exit.

Proceeding to swagger out the front door of what used to be April's home, Raph's right arm embraced the slightly charred bust of Elvis. April had rescued it from the burned-out remains of her first apartment years before, displaying the ceramic image of the singer on a special stand to honor what it represented – her new-found friends. The item had become a favorite of Raph's. In fact, he had quite forgotten about it, until he spied it a moment ago.

Now, as he slipped quietly down the steps towards the shop below, the red-banded turtle muttered under his breath, "If Mikey so much as says one word about The King, that kid's gonna eat 'em, so help me!"

Raphael then chuckled all the way down the stairs, his mood lighter than it had been in many years.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**_Comments_**_: Considering how many reviewed and left their comments, I just want to say thanks. Although there have been rumors to indicate that leaving 'thank yous' at either the beginning or end of each chapter is conflicting with Fan Fiction rules, there really isn't any foundation to these claims. In fact, there is a clause, of sorts, that allows for 'short' author's notes. With that said and considering the wonderful response to this story, I am going to err on the side of caution and just mention the names of those reviewers who took the time. My grateful thanks and appreciation for taking a moment to review, goes to – **Cynlee****, Reluctant Dragon, Chibi Rose Angel, XXXElectraXXX, Sassyblondexoxo, Empress Caroline of Tamaran, Jessiey Landroz, Kay Lizzie, Lunar Ninja, Ramica, Mickis, **and then** Pacphys. **All others who are reading, thanks so much! I understand that it is often hard to leave a comment, especially if you have a gazillion other stories to read. LOL As for one reviewer who mentioned about Casey dying, he didn't. Never said that. Only April has. Casey is, so far, AWOL in this story. Thanks, again, for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	20. Dumb Luck

_**Disclaimer – **I only own the dust bunnies collecting at my feet, that and any unpaid bills because I'm too involved with writing stories to write checks. Nevertheless, my gratitude and appreciation to everyone who finds this story interesting enough to read, and most, assuredly, to those who were kind enough to leave a review. Those generous readers are –** Masline, Beth Hart, Ramica, Chibi Rose Angel, Pacphys, Kaya Lizzie, Katana Babe, XXXElektraXXX, Lunar Ninja, Mewfew, Jessiey Landroz, Kellie Fay, Ninja Neo, **and** Reluctant Dragon. **Thanks, guys, for the encouragement and all of your wonderful comments.. I love you all! Be blessed_

_Also, Beth Hart (Leo Oneal) and Reluctant Dragon helped beta this chapter for me. Thanks guys:0)_

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Chapter 20 - Dumb Luck

Mike and Don walked in silence as they made their way back to the lair. Each clutched the item they had gone topside for, lost in thought, as their feet automatically took them into the sewers. As they sloshed through the underground pipes, neither turtle knew what to say about what had transpired at the apartment. Yet, one thing was certain, Raph's sudden grief had brought to light many thoughts that they had conveniently pushed aside.

Their day-to-day living, the continued conflict with the Foot clan, all of itplayed an intricate part during the past several years in keeping the focus off the loss of their friends. Yet witnessing how deeply their older brother grieved over April's death, the force of his anger and rage he inflicted into the floor of her apartment, caused them to reassess their own intense feelings. Consequently, each turtle obsessed silently over his own personal grief as the two brothers made their way back home.

Finally, just before reaching the entrance to the lair, Mike stopped, causing Donnie to do the same.

"What's wrong, Mike?" Don asked, concerned, and yet he knew what his brother was feeling.

Mike, his face downcast to the refuge-strewn floor of the sewer, finally looked up at his purple-masked brother. With his eyes glistening and a voice thick with emotion, he said, "Just miss her, I guess."

Nodding in affirmation, Don remarked solemnly, "Me, too, brome too."

"I miss – Casey, too," Mike added glumly, swallowing the golf-ball sized lump in his throat.

Shaking his head, Don remarked, "Raph, more than anyone of us; those two were like twins, except…one was green."

Mike chuckled a little, sniffing and wiping his hand across his snout as he added, "And reptilian, can't forget that, Donnie."

"Hard not to, bro," his brother chuckled lightly in return.

"Wonder where he ran off to, though," Mike mused, "I mean, it was so weird the way he just took off like that, after the funeral. I know he loved her and all, but..."

"Remember, Mikey, Raph loved her, too. Case didn't take it very well when he found out about it." Don said, "In fact, I remember April telling me how she told him to mind his own business, to leave Raph alone." Shaking his head, "Not that she felt for Raphael in the same way, but - well - she understood." Don sighed, "Maybe just seeing Raph brought it all back to Casey, that he was competition."

"Yeah, but April wouldn't pick Raph over Casey, just doesn't make sense, not where she's human and all. It was bad enough we lost her, ya know?" Mike lamented.

"Well, unless we find him again, guess we'll never know for sure," Don remarked, and then he nodded towards the main tunnel that led to their home, "Anyway, best we get inside, before Raph arrives. I'd hate to have him sense our mood right now. He'd have to know we saw him earlier at Ape's."

"For sure, dude, that's one turtle I don't wanna mess with!" his brother exclaimed, and then the two made their way into the short access tunnel and down through the opening into their lair.

Soon, the two brothers were inside their home, the bright expanse of the abandoned subway station a startling contrast to the darkened sewer tunnel they were in just moments before. Where they stood at foot of the ladder, both could see that Leonardo and Beth were in the kitchen. Mike grinned, "Hey, you two making dinner?"

Leo turned around and smiled, "Lunch, actually. Hamburgers okay?" he asked, slicing tomatoes as he did.

"Hey, anything'll do right now, I'm starved!" Mike exclaimed happily.

Donnie nudged him and said, "Raph's right, Mikey, you're always starved."

"S'what I'm all about, bro!" Mike replied cheerily.

Beth, who was tending to the hamburger patties in the frying pan, noticed the pack of beer in Mike's hand and the other item in Donnie's, "Guess your shopping proved successful?" she asked.

"Yep, always is, m'lady," Mike bowed formally.

She turned her attention to the newly arriving turtles, asking, "How can you walk inside the stores, I mean, you have a coat and hat, but what about your legs?" Beth observed the garment-clothed turtles as they took off their outerwear, but not before she saw that the coats hung a bit short down their legs.

Don replied, "We're ninja, plus we wait until the store is mostly empty, watch for pedestrians…" and then Mike interrupted.

"And use the back door that faces the alleyway. That's a sure-fire way of getting in without the general population noticing green legs," the orange-banded turtle explained with a grin. "Plus, we sometimes just sneak in, grab what we want, and leave the money where the item was. It's as plain as day someone paid for it, that is if the grocer finds the money first."

Beth smiled at their ingenuity, her attention now back to the meat patties again, and turning them over as she asked Donatello, "And what did you bring back from the junk yard, Don?"

"A printed circuit board, something for my computer." Don answered, "I'll know in a little while if it's what I think it is. I'm hoping it will make my computer run faster."

Beth was amazed with these reptilian friends of hers, so intelligent and so very much like any human. She smiled at the two and then went back to cooking the hamburgers again.

Earlier, after he had calmed her from Raph's outburst, Splinter had retired to his room for some personal and private meditating. However, he had easily sensed his sons' return. Extricating himself from his lotus sitting position, he then stood up and walked towards the exit. Opening his compartment door, he looked out and instantly felt the unsettled emotions coming from Donnie and Mike. Yet, there was more than just the old feelings of grief and loss, there was something more.

"Donatello, Michelangelo, I wish to see you in my room, please," the old rat requested. With Raphael still not back, he wondered if his two sons had come across him during their errand. He watched as Mike walked into the kitchen and slipped the six-pack of beer into the refrigerator, while Donnie placed his procured electronic board on the coffee table in the living room. Then, as the two made their way towards his bedroom, Splinter slipped back inside to await their arrival.

As the two turtles walked into his room, Splinter lit his incense sticks, blowing out the match he used, and then placing it into a glass receptacle. Next, he padded over to his bed, slipped onto it, and folded his legs back into his favorite lotus position once more. At the same time, his sons seated themselves on the floor in front of him, crossing their legs in similar fashion and then facing their master.

"Tell me of your excursion topside," the rat asked simply.

Donatello knew that his father often had clairvoyant capabilities and it was obvious that, with what he and Mike were feeling earlier, his master had sensed their emotions. "We visited April's apartment, Sensei."

"And…" Splinter asked, knowing that there was more.

Mike answered, "Raphael was there, Master."

"And…" the rat asked again, "this time you can be more forthcoming than just giving me short answers," he insisted, his tail tapping beside him along the bed in mild impatience.

Both brothers replied, "He was crying."

Splinter sighed and rubbed his eyes, shaking his head. Nevertheless, even though their answer was shorter than their first two responses, the weight of what they shared carried far with the ninja master. "I see, and how long did you observe him?" he finally asked.

"Until we sensed his awareness of us, Master," Donatello said, "Then we left as quickly as we could."

"Yeah, Master Splinter, the last thing we need is for Raph to find out we watched him cry, he'd be our worse nightmare for weeks!" Mike added sheepishly.

"Indeed," their father concurred, "yet, he did cry, you say?"

Nodding in dual agreement, both brothers said in unison, "Yes."

Splinter was silent for a long moment, contemplating the news that his sons had brought back to him. He was pleased that Raphael had finally come to terms with his grief, and maybe it was because of the girl now residing in their lair. Still, he also knew that his temperamental son had many layers to his emotions. Considering what he now knew, it wouldn't surprise him in the least if his second oldest came back in a worse mood than when he left.

---------------------

As Splinter conferred with Donatello and Michelangelo about Raphael, Beth and Leo were finishing up with the meal preparation. Leo had the tomatoes sliced and the lettuce washed and ripped into hamburger-bun sized pieces, with medallions of onions sitting nearby on its own plate. Beth was just finishing with frying the last round of meat patties in the frying pan, while the rest of the hamburgers were stacked on a platter and sitting on the table behind her. Considering his success with breakfast, Leo had allowed Beth to do the honors for lunch. She was more than willing, if only because she enjoyed cooking whenever she was in the mood to do so. For some strange reason, she felt rather good and cooking appealed to her for the moment.

While the two tended to their tasks, the buns toasted eagerly in the oven, only a minute away from extraction and their own participation in the meal. Other parts of the meal, such as sliced watermelon, carrots, and a large saucepan of baked beans, were already on the table and ready for serving.

Suddenly, Leo turned away from the counter with the plate of tomatoes in his hand, just as Beth turned away from the stove with the last hamburger patty balancing precariously on the spatula she was using. Both had been so involved with their tasks, that they hadn't realized the close proximity of the other. In one fluid motion, though, the moment he realized the impending disaster, Leonardo sidestepped out of harms way, thereby avoiding bumping into Beth.

Realizing the near miss, Beth's eyes went slightly wide, and then she giggled over the accident that almost happened, "That was close," she exclaimed.

Leo had to chuckle as well, "I'll say. That would have been messy; trying to clean the floor of tomatoes, and the meal wouldn't have been the same, either. A hamburgers without a slice of tomato seems kind of – weird."

They both laughed a little and then went back to their appointed task, each rushing past the other in their effort to finish preparing the meal. However, their near collision had positioned them closer than they were before; resulting in the barest of touches as Beth's right arm, and Leo's left, brushed against each other.

Beth startled as she felt the roughened texture of Leo's reptilian skin. She had only held his hand, but his arm had more texture by comparison. Yet, instead of repulsing her, the sensation of leathery, scaly skin heightened her awareness and curiosity about him.

In turn, Beth's soft, smooth textured epidermis invigorated Leo, a sudden chill coursing through him, and creating a desire for more. He turned and looked at her as she hesitated ever so slightly in placing the last hamburger on top of the other cooked patties. Beth seemed to shake a little bit but she still managed to keep her composure. Yet it was obvious to Leo that she had felt something, too.

As she turned back around, he looked at her, catching her attention and causing her to glance back at him. He smiled.

Noticing his inviting expression, Beth's face flushed with emotion and, with slight embarrassment. She swallowed, nervously working the spatula handle in her hand, and wondering what Leo was thinking. She saw his gaze meet hers, the deepness of his eyes drawing her in. She licked her lips and seemed as if ready to drop the spatula and race for the bathroom, but...she didn't. Somehow, Beth used what little she learned earlier from Splinter to take control of the situation, or at least enough to keep from losing control, as she was so often doing of late.

"What's – wrong, Beth?" Leo asked softly, recognizing the subtle insecurity in her face. Gently, he walked up to her, slowly, so as not to alarm her. He wanted to reach out, to touch her arm again, maybe even to hold her, but he resisted. He would wait until he saw her accept his approach. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her, or to assume what she was feeling.

With big eyes, the girl looked at Leonardo and her breathing quickened just a little. He could tell she seemed torn, confused, maybe even a little frightened. He had to remember the horrific things she had gone through. To think she would be ready for romance this early would be an obvious mistake - and Leo wanted to avoid making any mistakes of that nature with Beth.

"It's – all right, Beth…I…won't hurt you, you do know that, right?" he cooed softly, trying to reassure her.

Nodding, she swallowed a little, her voice breathy and light, "Yes, of course you wouldn't, it's just…" _Of course, he wouldn't, _she kept repeating to herself_; he's Leonardo, a mutant turtle, a kind-hearted soul, someone who had tried to calm her when she was totally losing it earlier. How could Beth even see him as harming her - or anyone else, for that matter?_

She forced herself to relax, then, she allowed whatever feelings she had tried to suppress earlier to surface in her heart. She tried to follow Splinter's advice and not be afraid of things, or of them. Did he say anything about emotions, about – love, though? Beth couldn't really recall. Suddenly, a small smile began to play along her mouth, brightening her facial features just enough to cause Leo to smile in return.

"I know…it's…I mean, the feeling…it's kind of unexpected, huh," Leo concurred, sensing her burgeoning attraction to him. The words of his sensei, warning him about his feelings for her, faded from his mind as the turtle's instincts kicked in. There wasn't any way for him to ignore how he felt. It didn't matter if they had only known each other for less than two days; Leo knew what he felt was real. Regardless of what his father had said, the mutant's heart said otherwise. "Do you feel what I feel, Beth," Leo asked, his voice even softer than before, huskier as emotions overwhelmed him.

Caring and gentleness came through his words as sharply as the blade from his sword. Beth did indeed feel something and just looking at Leo caused her heart to pound in expectation. The fears that she had about physical contact melted away, she longed for him to hold her. Yet, that little talk she had with herself while in the bathroom nagged at her. He was a mutant, a turtle, reptilian, and so alien to her own species that he could very easily have come from Mars. Nevertheless, he was still of flesh and bone, the way she was, and warmer to the touch than she thought most reptiles should be. Would his mutation mean he was half-human, thereby making him compatible to her? This was the main question that nagged at her and one that offered Beth a tantalizing hopefulness. Still, the more she gazed into his eyes, the stronger her feelings became, and the less fear she felt.

There wasn't any denying that she felt attracted to him, that much she was sure of.

Leo asked once more, almost afraid that maybe he had assumed again, pushed too hard, yet he felt compelled to know for certain, "Beth, do you feel…as I do?" As an afterthought, he allowed her some grace, "It's all right, you know, if you…well…if you don't or...can't. I'll – understand." He sighed, "After all you've been through and everything, I wouldn't blame..."

In that moment, Beth took hold of his hand and smiled again, appreciating Leo's willingness to concede if she could not return the feelings. Yet, she knew most certainly that she did indeed feel the same way. She stepped towards him in answer and, this time, Leo smiled wider in return. She continued to hold on to his hand, while his other hand gently reached up and carefully caressed her arm, the one that had brushed against his only seconds earlier. In response, she shivered, looked into his eyes, and then noticed his mouth; it seemed so much stranger from her own. She wondered if it would make any difference, but as he looked down at her with deep longing in his eyes, she dismissed it as unimportant.

As the oven began to smoke a little with toasting hamburger buns that were well on their way to charcoal consistency, Leo slowly leaned in toward Beth. Both of them angled their heads a bit in order to avoid bumping noses, their mouths expectant and eager. Leo could smell her sweet breath and she his as they came together, his beak gently cupping her lips in fervent embrace.

As it was, both of them were oblivious to the vapor-belching appliance behind them as it spewed forth its emissions with increasing intensity. Yet, just as Leo began to deepen the kiss, three things happened, and almost at the same time.

First, smoke, black as pitch, began pouring more furiously from the oven, filling the ceiling area of the kitchen with choking clouds of fumes as they ghosted towards the outer reaches of the lair.

Second, gasps rang out, echoing loudly within the brick-lined subway station, as Mike, Don – and Splinter – rushed out from the rat's bedroom to see what was burning. Nevertheless, the facially conjoined couple in the kitchen quickly took their attention away from the smoking appliance.

Third, Raphael had just slid down the ladder into the lair and at the precise moment when Leo kissed Beth. Landing on the lair floor and in a position that had him facing the kitchen, he had a perfect view to witness the sudden romantic gesture between his brother and the girl.

At first, he was momentarily stunned, but then, "Son of a…" Raphael bellowed out suddenly, flinging the bust of Elvis he had carried from April's apartment clear across the room in a fit of rage. The bust slammed explosively against the brick wall of the lair, breaking into a hundred miniscule pieces, and destroyed beyond even Donatello's ability to fix. Raphael then stormed angrily towards his bedroom in a huff. "Of all the stupid ideas, of _all_ the _dumb luck_…" he ranted loudly and soon disappeared within the confines of the subway car that he called his own. Jerking the door shut behind him, and then with the sudden creak of springs, he let everyone know that, once again, Raphael was in a mood.

All Leo and Beth could do was to stand there in the kitchen with their hands firmly entrenched in each other's. They had jumped in surprise upon Raph's verbal outburst and immediately stopped kissing. Realizing that the other two turtles and the rat had also witness their kiss caused them to blush red with embarrassment.

For lack of a better term, they seemed as caught as a child's hand in a cookie jar would be.

Leo, however, sensed his master's disapproval. When he looked over at the aged rat again - and took note of his grinning brothers, he saw his sensei's tail snake irritably along the ground.

Yes, indeed, Master Splinter was certainly not pleased with him, not at all, in fact.


	21. Feelings

**_Disclaimer – _**_Poor as a church mouse, and just as hungry to write more, I own only the keyboard, the PC, my chair, home, and whatever dust-bunnies abound. The TMNT's belong to others. Thanks go to** Kellie Fay, BubblyShell22, Mewfew, Mikaela's Spade, Katana-Babe, Reluctant Dragon, Leo Oneal, Ramica, Lunar-Ninja, and Jessiey Landroz, **for reviewingHugs, guys for pushing me with your great comments to write more. :0) I have to say that I did add some things to chapter 20 that made things more consistent. Such as, Beth cooking rather than Leo cooking. I mean, the guy failed miserably with breakfast, why would he cook lunner (lunch/dinner). When one is away from a story for two long, its easy to forget little things like that._

_Also__, Raph wouldn't just toss Elvis, not after all he went through emotionally at April's. There were other changes, too, but they were small. Between Leo Oneal and Reluctant Dragon beta reading it AFTER I uploaded it, I think it's a tad tighter. Oh, and the first part of 20 is longer, too, more on Casey and when he disappeared. _

_Anyway, thanks for your readership and for any reviews you feel led to pass my way. Be blessed._

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

**Chapter 21 – Feelings**

Beth huddled into Leo, startled to immobility from Raph's explosive outburst. The red-banded turtle's bellowing shook the very foundation of what control she had learned earlier from Splinter.

In response, Leo held on to her protectively, his arms firm around her, "It's okay, Beth, you must know by now that Raphael has a temper." However, he could not help but scowl at the closed door of his brother's bedroom, as he worked his jaw muscles in irritation.

"I – I don't understand, why did he yell like that?" Beth wondered aloud, her voice small and whispery, as she trembled in Leo's arms.

Leo knew why, and he bristled. Still, his attention was more for Beth, and his sensei, who now stood disapprovingly a few feet away. Leonardo realized that he had deliberately disobeyed his father. Yet, he recognized, all too well, that what he felt for Beth was real. Now, after kissing her, Leo also concluded that he did not regret it.

Sensing his oldest son's rising rebellion, Splinter sighed, shook his head as he watched the two in the kitchen, and then asked, "Leonardo, I would like to see you please – alone, and in my quarters!" Next, he turned to Donatello, "Make sure the oven is not ruined, and keep the fire from spreading to the rest of the kitchen." Then to Michelangelo, "Please fix some tea for Miss Beth…." The rat suddenly hesitated as he gave one frustrated glance at the smoke-belching stove. He then sighed as he said, "Or, maybe offer her a cold drink from the refrigerator, instead."

As Don hurried over to the oven to see to the burning mass inside, Mike turned to his father and remarked, "Ah, Sensei, all we have in the frig is beer."

Closing his eyes in frustration, Splinter nodded and changed his order, "Then ice water will have to do, my son, but please get Miss Beth away from the kitchen and into the living room."

"Alrighty," Mike replied, hurrying over to the kitchen in Don's wake, to grab a glass from one of the cupboards. He noticed the food collected along the counter and the table as he went over the refrigerator. He then called out to his father as he fished some ice cubes from the freezer, "Maybe we should to eat in the living room, Sensei? Otherwise, this food's gonna get ruined with all th'smoke."

Seeing an opportunity to get the girl's mind off Raphael's rude behavior, Splinter concurred, "That would be good, Michelangelo; see if Miss Beth would like to help you."

Mike went to the girl, mindful of her obviously fearful expression, and fearful himself that she would – once again – succumb to another 'episode'. Yet, the moment she looked at him, the orange-banded turtle noticed her lucid, determined expression. At least, whatever she had gleaned from his master's tutoring, it had been enough to help her retain control of her mind. Smiling, Michelangelo offered his hand to her, "Would ya mind helping me move this party into the living room, Beth?" he asked, giving her a cheerful chuckle. He almost breathed a sigh of relief when she nodded compliance, thankful that she seemed to be improving somewhat.

Across the room, the aged ninja master watched as Leo released the girl into Mike's custody. The orange-banded turtle then encouraged her to take up a plate or two and transfer them into the living area. As Leo left them and began making his way obediently over to his father, Splinter turned heel and retreated once again into his room.

The incense still burned from when Mike and Don had been in there. Now, thin, fragrant clouds of smoke ghosted along the ceiling of Splinter's room in varying shades of gray. As the rat, and then his son, stepped into the compartment, the ninja master went to his bed and eased onto the mattress. He quickly worked himself into his familiar lotus position to face his advancing son.

Although his impaired memory limited his knowledge of familial customs of his clan, Leo had already learned that, when his father called for an audience, the one called was to sit on the floor and in a similar fashion as the rat. As he eased himself down on the tatami mat, crossing his legs in the same way his father had done, Leonardo then looked up at Splinter. He had half-expected his father to give him a stern expression, that in and of itself rebuking his behavior from moments before.

However, and he could not explain why it did, what he saw stilled his heart.

Taking slow even breaths, the rat had his eyes closed and he seemed to be meditating. Consequently, Leonardo sat there, waiting and wondering what kind of 'punishment' his father was thinking of that would warrant a need to reflect. That, alone, worried him for some reason. Still, as Leo thought about his misdeed, what punishment could change how he felt? As far as Leo was concerned, it was a 'done deal'. There wasn't much that anyone could do about it. Not even Raphael. Leonard was convinced that he loved Beth and he was more certain than before that she felt the same way about him. Soon, and as his mind wandered a bit, a small pleased and contented smile formed along his face, easing away some of the anxiety that he had been feeling a moment before.

Then, just as he was becoming comfortable with where his thoughts were taking him, he heard his father clear his throat Leo snapped his eyes and his attention back to Splinter and realized that his mind had wandered – as had his gaze. The rat now looked intently into his son's face, searching for something that would help him utter his first words. Finally, and after a long painful moment of having his master stare at him, Leonardo heard his father say, "I can safely assume that Miss Beth was in compliance with your kiss?"

At first, Leonardo stared back, more in surprise where he was unable to comprehend or believe what his father was asking. He half-expected a verbal rebuke, a lecture about the differences between his species and Beth's, about not paying attention to the now-burnt hamburger buns that could have engulfed the entire kitchen in flames.

Instead, the rat seemed interested in finding out if Beth was a willing participant in the affectionate gesture.

Leonardo answered very simply, "Yes, Master."

Another long moment passed between him and his son, the rat closing his eyes once again as if to resume his meditation. Then, slowly, he looked once more upon Leo and sighed, "I cannot control what you feel, my son, or how Beth responds to you. I _can_, however, control what goes on in this lair and what will not go on, with anything other than a kiss, that is. You understand, do you not?"

Gulping, the turtle in blue replied sheepishly, blushing ever so slightly, "I…would never take advantage of her, Master; she's already been through too much as it is."

"Even so, there are standards that I have taught to you, whether you remember them or not, or whether Beth has been traumatized or not. Your honor involves more than yourself, it also involves those around you and, most importantly, the purity of anyone that you find yourself in love with," Splinter commented, "So, trauma aside, you will conduct yourself in a respectable manner and – show the same consideration for your 'friend'."

Leo seemed speechless. It seemed as if his father had accepted the kiss rather well, although reluctantly at best. Nevertheless, he watched once more as his father slipped again into another short-term meditation. Deciding that maybe, by example, it was a good thing to do, the turtle found himself meditating as well, closing his eyes and forcing his breathing to slow a little. Yet, before he could get any deeper than just the thought of doing it, Splinter's voice broke through his calming consciousness, "I will deal with Raphael on this matter, however. I forbid you to approach him. Do you understand, Leonardo?"

Leo opened his eyes and saw that his father now looked upon him, a more serious and stricter expression on the rat's face than before. "Yes, father, I – understand." Leo reluctantly complied.

Splinter could sense the rising irritation in his son at the very mention of Raphael's name, but he realized that Leonardo was too memory-challenged in ninjitsu to confront his angry brother. It was obvious to the master that two hearts seemed affected because of Beth's presence. Given the news that Mike and Don had brought back with them concerning Raph's behavior in April's apartment, it was quite possible that Splinter's second oldest was ready to move on. Beth would be the obvious choice for him, if only because of her proximity in the lair. Yet, where she had too many issues to overcome, Raphael needed a stronger-willed mate than Beth could provide him. He needed someone that could be opposite to him, someone longsuffering, with as much patience and understanding as Raphael had in temper. Beth appeared too much like a fragile flower, and would wilt terribly from the acerbic outbursts that Raphael seemed fond of delivering. Even though the ninja master preferred that his sons forego all relationships, he also knew that nature would eventually win out. He only hoped that whoever it was that his sons fell in love with, that they would not end up betraying the clan

As the two spent a few more minutes in relative silence, a bit of light conversation between Mike and Beth transpired in the other room, as they transferred the food from the kitchen to the living area. A comment from Don filtered into Splinter's compartment, about the oven getting a 'good dose of scorching', but nothing so loud that interrupted the pair's meditating peace.

Later and as the family was preparing to sit down around the coffee table to eat dinner, Raphael had refused to come out of his room. Instead, he said he would eat later, so long as Leo hadn't burned the refrigerator, too, thereby making it difficult to store leftovers. Mikey corrected him, saying that Leo hadn't been the one cooking, which earned a round of disapproving and chastised grunts and shoves from his other two brothers. After all, Beth was the one who had prepared the meal. It was obvious to everyone that Raph's comment, and then Mike's ill-timed rebuttal, had embarrassed the girl quite a bit.

Nevertheless, despite Splinter's attempts to get his son to eat with them, the rat eventually had to abandon his efforts. Consequently, the rest of the lair's residents partook of the hamburgers, sans buns, and other entrees without him.

Once they finished with the meal, and after a round of watching a few programs on the television, Beth finally asked the all-important question, "Where am I to sleep tonight?" It was obvious that the rat had only temporarily given her the use of his room, so she felt it important to give him the opportunity to assign her different quarters.

Mike and Don looked over at Leo, who blushed, but then the familiar sound of the walking stick rang through the lair as Splinter struck the side of the coffee table. Once he had everyone's attention, he said, "She will stay in Leonardo's room," he stated, and then looked at Leonardo, ignoring the sudden snigger from Mike, "And you, my son, will bunk with Michelangelo." The rat smiled inwardly when he heard his orange-banded son grown, continuing to say, "This sleeping arrangement will remain until I believe Beth's injuries are healed well enough to avoid infection. Then," Splinter looked to Leo, "she can return to her own apartment." He then glanced over at Donatello, "You will make sure that Beth is healing, Donatello."

Don bowed his head in compliance, "Yes, Master Splinter," but then he glanced towards Beth and remarked, "Only if Beth allows me to, though."

The rat looked over at the girl, who sat next to Leo, and who had an obvious blush to her face. He offered, "Whatever you will allow, child, my son will comply with."

Beth suddenly realized that in her brief stay in the lair and with all the times Don had checked on her, he did so discretely and as quickly as he could. In every sense of the word, he behaved in the way any professional doctor would have. In short, she could not help but be impressed with his manners and capabilities. Finally, she looked over at him and said, "I…trust you, Don," which resulted in a faint, pleased smile from both the turtle as well as from the others.

Splinter nodded her way, "You are making great strides, Miss Beth, in trust. As opportunities increase, I know that your trust will grow."

"I can only hope, Master Splinter," the girl said softly, although a bit insecurely. The rat smiled at her warmly, causing the girl to smile in return.

Leonardo, however, allowed that thought to work once more in his mind. Trust was important, but he also knew where that trust would lead her. Again, he wondered how much longer Beth would be staying with them. From what his father had stated and implied, the sooner she returned to her world, the better it would be for her. Falling in love with Beth had complicated things a great deal.

Nevertheless, as the time came for Don to check on Beth's wounds, and in doing so, he checked on Leo's as well, an undercurrent of fearful anxiety began to settle in the blue-masked turtle's stomach. It was becoming an all too familiar, if not annoying, feeling, and for reasons that he could not explain, Leonardo began to dislike it very, very much.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...


	22. Inner Turmoil

_**Disclaimer** – Sadly, I don't own them, so don't sue. Thanks to all who read and those who reviewed, big hugs and warm cookies from me. These selfless caring folks are – **Reluctant Dragon**, **Leo Oneal, Mewfew, Mikaela's Spade, Katana Babe, Chibi Rose Angel, Ramica, Jessiey Landroz, **and** Lunar Ninja**._

_And, yes, it does seem that I am updating rather quickly with this story, especially compared to how long I had been away, until recently. It's the way the muses work, but one thing I believe helped me get back on track. I blocked out each chapter to the end when I found myself clueless with how to go about getting there. It helps, folks, so if you're straggling along, then block out your chapters. You might end up with more chapters that what you block, as ideas come and go, but blocking the story gets the mind back on focus again. All I can say, is to try it. _

_Oh, and this is for all you Raph fanatics out there, you shameless fan girls! LOL_

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

**Chapter 22 – Inner Turmoil**

He made sure that everyone had retired to their rooms before heading off to bed, but as he looked towards the end of the line of sub cars and gazed pensively at what was Raphael's bedroom, Splinter sighed. He knew that his tempestuous son would come out eventually, well after everyone else had drifted off to sleep. Yet, it wasn't Raphael's hunger that worried the rat. It was his heart.

Sighing deeply once more, and with his walking cane in hand, the old master made up his mind and padded slowly over to the door in question. The tap of his cane softly echoed within the lair as he made his way to his petulant son's room. When he reached it, he placed his walking stick in front of him, leaning onto it with both paws firmly grasping the head. Then, Splinter softly called out, "Raphael, I wish to speak with you." He waited…and then he waited some more. The rat knew that his son was awake and hoping that his father would ignore him.

However, this night, Splinter wasn't in any mood for such things. "I will not retire this evening until I have spoken with you, Raphael."

Years of living with the tenacious ninja master had taught Raphal one important lesson; his father always meant what he said. After a moment, the door slowly opened, almost silently - except for the soft scrap of aged wood within wood, as it slipped into its pocket, revealing a somewhat grumpy mutant turtle on the other side.

"Yeah, Sensei?" he asked dryly. Raphael had his mask on, which was quite unusual since there wasn't any need for it. Only outside the lair was it necessary, although he and his brothers usually continued wearing them until they withdrew to their rooms for the night.

Nevertheless, it was obvious to Splinter that one of two things was true. Either Raphael had every intention of going topside for a night of patrolling – and, more than likely, some 'head butting', as he liked to call it – or he was hiding something. As it was, Splinter suspected both, although he felt the latter speculation probably held more truth than not.

"Are you not going to invite me in?" the rat asked simply.

"Ya need an invitation?" the turtle remarked quickly, almost snapping the words. In the next instant – after seeing the one raised eyebrow from his father, he realized his disrespect and countered his rudeness. With a less caustic voice, the turtle entreated, "Sorry, Sensei, yeah…I…ah, guess ya can come'n." Raph stepped aside and waited, watching his father watch him and realizing that the rat would not tolerate any smart remark. He heard Master Splinter snort softly in mild irritation before stepping gingerly inside the car. The aged ninja then looked around Raphael's room.

The bed, tucked into the right-hand corner, had its covers rumpled about, as if someone had tossed and turned on them. The desk, a simple construction consisting of a wooden plank lain across two sawhorses, sat shoved up against the wall just left of the bed. The cluttered top had several, partially eaten apple cores, banana peels, empty bags of snacks, several aluminum soda cans strewn about it that the rat assumed to be empty, and a few equally empty beer bottles as well. Splinter worried a great deal over Raphael's beer consumption. Although his son had yet to drink any more than a six-pack a week, knowing what he dealt with internally was a powder keg waiting to blow. The rat feared that this recent turn of events between Beth and Leonardo would be just the fuse to light such a volatile situation.

Yet, instead of focusing on the obvious, the rat gently remarked, "It looks as if you have a healthy supply of recyclables, my son. I am sure they will fetch a decent return." Splinter smiled inwardly as he noticed Raph wipe a hand nervously across the top of his head, sensing the underlying meaning behind his master's words.

"Here, Sensei," Raph finally offered, going over to his bed to sweep it clear of the crumpled linen, "ya can sit here. I – ah – changed th'sheets las' week, they're rel'tively fresh – I –ah – think." He looked back at his father, the subtle almost indistinguishable hint of anxiety edging his expression.

"I am not so old that I cannot stand, my son," Splinter smiled, "But, I wish for _you_ to sit."

Raph looked around the room anxiously and nodded, swallowing as he replied, "Yeah, sure, ah…guess I will," and sat down on the edge of the mattress. He then looked at his father. Having Splinter in his room, standing, and with himself not sitting on the floor at the rat's feet, seemed – weird. He knew that when Splinter called for any of them, those invited were required to sit in front of the rat, either in a lotus position or on their knees. The fact that Splinter insisted on standing, while Raphael sat on the bed - and not in one of the two traditional positions - had made the turtle nervous. He knew that whatever his father was going to say was serious.

"Raphael," Splinter said, turning his gaze away from the eclectic collection on the desk to that of his son, "please explain to me your behavior from earlier."

"My – behav'yer?" Raph swallowed, and then remembered, "Oh, yeah, that – ah, my…_behavior_." He looked away and heaved a sigh, "Kind a' hard t'explain, Master Splintah."

"Try me," the rat said simply, bowing his head a little non-threateningly.

Raphael looked back at his father and smirked, saying as he did, "Might not be what ya want t'hear."

"So far, Raphael," the rat replied dryly, "this evening has provided me with many things that I did not want to hear, or see, for that matter, but what is done, is done." He smiled a little, "I doubt very much that I will be surprised with anything you might tell me."

Raph studied his father, saw the earnest expression of a concerned and worried parent, and recognized one important fact. He was alone with him. There wasn't any Mikey, or Donnie, there sure was sure as shell no Leonardo, and Beth…well…he hoped that Beth was asleep. He couldn't risk her overhearing him. He could care less if Leo did, or even his other brothers, but for Beth to overhear what was on his heart would be the worse thing to happen. "Okay," he finally said, his voice unusually quiet, "guess yer sort a'been med'tating on this, eh?"

"No amount of meditation can make up for parental intuition, my son. Your distress was as noticeable as a neon sign," the rat chuckled lightly, "yet distressed you are, and I would like to help you if I can."

"No off'nse, Sensei, but ya can't help me w'this one," Raph challenged benignly, straightening up on the edge of the bed, as he swallowed back his frustration.

"Hmm…is that so," his father replied, "Then, maybe it is not I who should be standing here, but maybe it should be – Beth?" He looked compassionately to his son and saw an immediate change in Raphael's coloring, a new kind of tenseness forming along his facial features. It was then that he spied the damp condition of the eyeholes of Raphael's mask. It was obvious to the rat, then, that his son had been crying.

Raphael's fists clenched and his facial muscles tensed. "It's not about _her_," he said defensively through clenched his teeth. There was a subtle catch in his words, as well, as if he bit back a sudden rise of emotions.

Splinter stood there, silent, and waiting, looking at his son with compassionate eyes.

Raphael hated that expression most of all and the way his father would react whenever he knew the answer to any of his son's problems. Whenever he would hit it dead center, Splinter would then wait, silent, as he was doing now, and for as long a time as was necessary.

Consequently, despite his denial to the contrary, the red-banded turtle couldn't convince even himself that Beth was not the problem.

"What am I t'do, Sensei?" he asked, hanging his head as he caved under his father's loving stare, his voice nearly cracking under his pent-up rage. He looked back up to his father with pained eyes, "I mean, how often…fer that mattah, how likely…is it for anyone from topside t'love any of us?"

"Not often, or likely, Raphael," the rat replied calmly and honestly.

"Leo's not even hisself, ya know; what if he 'wakes up' all of'a sudden, becomes his old self, what then?" Raph ranted quietly, now slipping off the bed to stand, beginning to pace his room, as his arms gestured about. "If he evah gets back t'normal, again, he's gonna hurt Beth, hurt'er heart." He realized that he had spoken too loudly, causing him to look anxiously towards the barrier that separated his room from Mikey's.

"And you won't?" the wise master asked.

Raph stopped his pacing and stood in shock before his father, "Why'd ya say that? I – wouldn't hurt her, not like that. I'd be committed to'er, not t'some 'patrol duty' the way Leo was, before he started rebellin', well, not that patrol isn't important, but there has t'be a balance somewheres; don't ya always talk about finding balance, Sensei?"

"Yes, I do, but I'm wondering if you know yourself as well as you should, Raphael?" Splinter asked. When he saw his son just stare at him, oblivious to his meaning, the rat continued, "You have always had a problem with your temper. You throw things, you storm about, you use profanity and derogatory remarks, and intimidate your brothers whenever they 'bother' you."

"Okay, but they deserve it at times, but I won't do that, not t'my wife…ah…well, if I had one, that is," Raph replied defensively, trying to keep his voice low.

"How we react when we are with our family, Raphael, is how we will be towards those that we are to love," Splinter said, "the fact that you treat your brothers as you do, will only be manifested in the one you share your life – and your bed – with. For they will be closer to you both physically as well as spiritually, privy to your shortcomings and your strengths, as you will be to theirs." The rat took a deep breath, as if to muster up strength, and remarked, "You have deeply affected Miss Beth ever since she arrived in our lair, and not for the better. She could never see you the way you want her to, because you have treated her as you have everyone else in your family. Instead of being angry with your brother – and with her, in finding love, you should be happy for them."

Chastised and resigned, Raphael knew that his father was right; he always was. He looked at his mentor, his master, and the faintest tremble began along his bottom lip. He took a deep breath to push back the undulating emotions brewing just under the surface, but as he was about to challenge his father, Splinter shared one final thought, "You need to make amends to Miss Beth, Raphael." He saw his son's eyes go slightly wide, "Whether or not Leonard regains his memory, Miss Beth will always remember you. To let her go back to her apartment knowing you the way you have allowed her to see you, is a travesty for this clan. She is only a woman, a girl, and if she cares for your brother, that is her choice." He smiled a little, then, "Besides, you can always use this opportunity to practice the charm that I know resides within you, if only you would be brave enough to use it."

Raphael's challenge melted away, for he knew – once again – that his father was correct. He had acted inappropriately, if not immaturely. It wasn't that he hadn't been aware of it, it was only because of what Leonardo had gained in kissing Beth that bothered him the most. Yet, he had to realize, as well, that for even one of them to earn the attention and the affection of someone from topside, was nothing short of a miracle.

"When she leavin' fer home, Sensei?" Raph finally asked in a voice less volatile, his head bowed in defeat. His angry mood dissipated quickly as he thought about not having the right moment to make amends with the girl.

"If Donatello deems her fit and she is on the mend tomorrow and without any threat of infection, then by evening of the same day," the rat replied. "If you want, I can arrange for Michelangelo and Donatello to take Leonardo on a training run through the sewers. That way, you can be more relaxed with out your brothers as witness, when you rectify this rift between you and Miss Beth."

"That, would be nice, Sensei, I'd like that." Raphael looked up at his father, knowing that the offer would only give him enough time to express his apologies, beg her forgiveness – and hopeful silence on the fact. After all, he did have a reputation to uphold. Yet, considering Leonardo's own injuries, the run would not be long. Nevertheless, his father's offer was a generous one and for that, Raphael was grateful. However, knowing Splinter's position on relationships, he couldn't resist asking, "So, what changed yer mind about Leo likin' Beth?"

Splinter chuckled a little as he looked slyly over at his son, "Raphael, there are some things that, no matter what a parent wants, their child will have regardless. If you found someone that you loved and who loved you back, and I told you to end the relationship – would you?"

Raphael quirked an eye-ridge and a smile, asking, "Is that what Don calls a rhetorical question?"

Laughing a little, the rat nodded, "Then you understand that asking Leonardo to forget Beth when he has already accepted how he feels about her would be a waste of time." Splinter sighed, "As much as it worries me, I would rather my sons find love while they are living here me, than to run away in pursuit of it." Shaking his head, he lamented softly, "I was foolish to think that I could control any of your hearts on this matter."

Raph stepped over and hugged his father, "Yer not foolish, Mastah Splintah, just human…well, almost, anyway."

"Indeed!" the rat simple said, giving his son a hug in return, and chuckling a little.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………


	23. A Late Night Visitor

**_Disclaimer – _**_Ah, another chapter for all you Raphael fans. Leo's asleep, what he don't know, won't hurt him – yet. Bwahaha. As before, I don't own anything, other than the obvious. _

_Thanks to everyone who read and especially to those who left a review. Your kind words amaze me, not that you aren't kind, just after all this time you're still 'along for the ride'. Thankies for your support and encouragement – **Jessiey Landroz**, **Kellie Fay**, **Ramica, Lunar Ninja, Katana Babe, Reluctant Dragon, Mewfem, Empress Caroline of Tamaran, Leo Oneal, Pacphys, and Kay Lizzie, **_

****

_In answer to one question as to why I titled this story the way that I did, at the end of the epilogue, I will tag it with a public domain analogy that will explain my train of thought on this matter._

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

**Chapter 23 – A Late Night Visitor**

Beth tossed and turned on the bed. She was quite uncomfortable, where it wasn't her bed to begin with and, more to the point, that it belonged to someone who had recently kissed her.

It had been a very long time since anyone had, and it was quite bemusing to think that someone, such as Leonardo, would be the one responsible for it, too. Just the same, she found it difficult to sleep, to relax. She kept trying to remember how it felt to have him kiss her, his almost lip-less mouth cupping her own in the tender way that he did. She shivered at the memory, especially when he had deepened their embrace. Despite his reptilian skin, Leo's kiss hadn't seemed that different from the last person who had kissed her.

That was seven years ago, after her senior high prom, when her date – Billy Wilcox – had brought her back home after the dance. He had been as inexperienced as she was with dating, both teenagers dubbed late bloomers by their friends. As it was, they had kissed for only a few minutes in front of her house on the wide front stoop, sitting on the porch swing. It was dark, nearly midnight, well before curfew, and both were getting into it rather deeply. That was when Beth's father 'unintentionally' interrupted them.

Beth would never forget that, either. While she and Billy made out, sitting on the swing, he said later that he had felt uneasy. Nevertheless, before the rude interruption, they had sat facing each other, his hands around her shoulders, her hands around his waist. They were a perfect profile of two couples embracing, with the large, darkened plate glass window of the living room as backdrop. Nevertheless, Billy opened one eye to see why he felt so uneasy, sensing someone was watching them. As he looked around and where the window was situated right there behind him, he suddenly discovered a single pair of eyes looking right back at him – Beth's father!

As she lay there in Leo's bed and thought back to that event, she couldn't help but laugh. Beth remembered that Billy tensed, right in the middle of probably the most passionate part of their kissing. She was clueless as to why he would react so, since she had both eyes closed, unaware that her father had been at the window. However, Billy's suddenly start caused the poor boy to nearly leap off the bench where they sat, pushing the swing back abruptly, which unceremoniously dumped Beth onto the wooden front porch – prom dress and all. Of course, they couldn't help but overhear her father's eruption of laughter from inside the house. Where it took him a few minutes to open the front door – showing in contrast a more subdued expression – Beth was certain the delay was due to his need to collect himself.

Nevertheless, it was the last time Billy ever sat with Beth on that porch swing, preferring the privacy of his car in order to kiss her. Sadly, though, when he went out to California that September for college, the distance between them became too much and they eventually drifted apart. Now, as Beth considered that moment and with so much happening to her since, it seemed as if her friendship with Billy Wilcox was a lifetime ago.

Yet, to consider that, now, her heart fluttered for someone so different from her first crush, simply amazed her. Finally, after she had exhausted her memories, Beth's restlessness eased and she was able to drift off to a somewhat more peaceful slumber.

Several hours later, after she had been asleep for a good amount of time, she felt a presence. It was subtle, but enough to cause her to wake up and wonder why she had done so. With her mind muggy from her sudden waking, she squinted in the near blackness, trying to get her bearings. Yes, she remembered, this was Leo's room; she was in his bed, while he slept in Don's room next door, and on a cot that they kept for such occasions – at least, from what Mikey had told her, anyway.

Nevertheless, because of how she felt, Beth knew that she had been asleep for quite a while. Still, a nagging feeling that someone was in her room edged her foggy mind. Then, she wondered; could Leo have slipped out of Don's room, just to visit her? Maybe, that kiss they shared earlier had piqued his curiosity, as it had her own.

Maybe, he wanted one more. That was something that Beth would not mind in the least.

"Leo?" she asked expectant and hopeful.

Despite her experiences and her usual reaction to close contacts, Leonardo, and his family, had slipped into her 'realm of safety', proving that they were people that she could trust. There hadn't been too many of her own species who had earned that right, other than the grocers up the street from where she lived. However, she would never let Mister McHenry kiss her. That distinction put Leo on a completely different level, and one that allowed Beth to wonder if she really was ready to love again.

Still, as she looked and peered into the darkness of the room, that eerie sense of someone 'there' persisted. "Leo?" she called out softly again, now a bit of fear creeping up her spine.

A sudden light knock sounded softly at the door, nearly startling her. Smiling and almost laughing aloud, Beth seemed relieved, letting out a long-held breath. She was confident, now that there hadn't been anyone in her room at all, but it was obvious that someone was standing outside at the bedroom door. She remembered where the lamp was, so she carefully crawled out from under her covers to walk the short distance to the table to switch on the light. Instinctively, she held her side, where the hilt of Leo's sword had penetrated, grimacing somewhat as she moved about. The pain seemed less, though, and, so far, the bleeding had stopped, allowing the wound to begin healing. The expediency of her wound's improvement had amazed her, but Splinter's explanation about his healing tea seemed to explain the matter. Beth had heard of herbal remedies that seem to accelerate such things, but they were merely urban legends to her. Now, looking back to where she first woke up and comparing that to her current physical state, she quickly became a believer in Splinter's tea.

In any event, before she retired to bed, Splinter had given her an oversized shirt to wear as a nightgown, the hem of the shirt stopping halfway between her thighs and her knees. It was a faded sage green, mended in several places, but adequately sufficed as pajamas. Now, with the room softly illuminated, Beth walked over to the door to open it. As she grabbed the handhold and began to slide the door to the right, she smiled. She could easily imagine Leo's sheepish expression and maybe a glint of expectation in his eye. She sighed deeply as she felt her heart stir once more. Yet, there was also a subtle feeling of intrigue, as if this late night tryst was an adventure. It was something that she had not felt in a very long time. Well, at least since that fateful night, when her father spied on her making out with Billy Wilcox on the front porch.

Nevertheless, the moment Beth slid the door open, every pleasant vision she had, dissipated in an instant. There, standing on the other side of the door, was – Raphael.

Keeping her voice low, so as not to wake the others, "What are you doing here?" she asked him, her voice clipped and almost demanding. Beth then felt herself begin to tremble, the confidence she had felt moments earlier chased away by visions of a raging Raphael. Only, as she stared at Raph in apprehension, what she saw contradicted her accepted view of him. Whatever 'rage' he demonstrated hours earlier no longer edged his features.

There, standing before her at the door was a very contrite looking, if not placid, mutant turtle, his red bandanna tied firmly around his head, signifying his identity.

"Hi," he said simply, his voice low and gravelly. Raphael fidgeted a bit and looked around at the other cars in line with the one Beth was in. He seemed nervous, as if any minute someone would catch him in the act of doing something wrong. "Um, I know this is inappropriate and all, but…" he looked again at the other cars, his voice dropping to a bare whisper, "can…I come in; I gotta tell ya somethin'."

Beth then watched as he slipped his bandanna off, anxiously holding it in his hands, while revealing eyes the eyeholes had effectively hidden. Now she saw the earnestness, the sincerity in them that she had failed to notice before, almost reminding her of – _Leonardo_. That stunned her. With their bandannas on, it was easy to tell who was who, their colors distinguishing them from one another. However, it was different thing all together without them. Except for the individual scars– and she noticed that Raphael had a distinctive one on the lower left side of his face, they would be hard to discern from one another.

Still, the almost pleading expression on Raphael's face appealed to Beth's natural tendency to care. Immediately, she considered closing the door on him, but then had a quick change of heart, as she asked, instead, "If I let you in, do you promise not to yell at me or get mad?" her voice was soft and worrisome.

Raph nodded sheepishly, speaking softly, "Yeah, no worries, ain't gonna rage on ya, just wanna talk, to tell ya somethin' important."

Beth gave him one last long look, and then glanced behind him to see the semi-darkened lair. It was obvious to her that everyone was in bed, even Master Splinter, which meant that if Raph wanted to… No, she chided herself; he wouldn't dare do anything to her, not with his family so close by. If not Leonardo, certainly Mike, Donnie, or even the rat would make Raphael's life miserable if he so much as touch her in an inappropriate way. What little time she had spent in the lair, she had learned that honor and respect were two attributes that her hosts practiced.

Hoping that Raphael somehow espoused the same characteristics, despite how he had behaved before, she nodded and then opened the door wider to allow the turtle inside the room. She was mindful of the fact that she had only the nightshirt on, yet he paid her no mind as he slipped noiselessly into the room. As soon as she closed the door and while Raphael was trying to find a place to sit – other than the bed - the girl grabbed at the comforter from where she had been sleeping. She wrapped it quickly around her like a robe, watching Raph take the one chair the room afforded. Turning quickly around and then plopping himself down, he watched as Beth in turn sat on the edge of the bed to face him.

Beth was perfectly mindful of the still-opened door, making a mental note to toss the comforter at Raph, should he break his promise, and then racing out the room. She knew that Donnie's compartment was right next door, just before the bathroom and infirmary subway car. With Mike's room on the other side of hers, she had two points of safety she could run to, that is if Raph so much as look at her the wrong way.

"So, what do you want to tell me?" she asked him quietly, hugging the comforter close around her.

"Yeah," Raph took a deep breath, "well…about earlier…ya see…I have this problem, a temper, not that you haven't noticed, cuz I'm sure it's no surprise t'ya, but…well…it sort of takes over me an' all," he began, then Raph rolled his eyes at the redundancy. Obviously, he had a temper, why tell the girl when she had first-hand experience seeing him blow up. It seemed ludicrous even to tell her about it. Nevertheless, he composed himself once more, "I was goin' t'wait until mornin', after we all had breakfast, an'after Leo and the others go out on a trainin' run, but – ah – my mind won't shut off and I know if I do it now, I might actually get some sleep t'night." He wiped his mouth nervously, looking at the floor by his feet as if, somehow, he might find a bit more courage there. Finding none available, he looked back up at the girl, "'Sides, I hear ya might be going back home tomorrah, an', well, if I get this outta the way now, we might be able t'have a decent visit before that happens," He then tried to smile. The only problem was that he couldn't. Something else was happening to him and hard as he tried not to, Raphael knew he was losing the battle.

Beth watched with growing intrigue as Raphael sat across from her. She watched his bumptious nature crumble second by second, the fire in his eyes changing from the fierce presence he had impressed upon her since she awakened in the lair, to one of emotional instability. She witnessed the gradual change and decline with calm, though, swallowing back her nervous anxiousness, only to replace it with – pity. First, Raphael's mouth trembled as he tried to regain control, then his eyes filled to overflowing, with one tear dropping quickly down his left cheek. In that moment, Beth knew that Raphael wouldn't hurt her, not tonight, not with what he was obviously going through.

"Ya gotta…" he almost choked out, "promise me somethin', though, b'fore I tell ya anythin'." The trembling in his mouth seemed to have moved down to his hands, each clasping his knees as if he would lose complete control if he didn't.

Beth cautiously asked, the emotional turmoil of the one in front of her griping her heart, "And…that would be?"

Raph's eyes narrowed, almost closing, but not quite. He looked away, swallowed hard yet again, and then looked back at the girl. "Ya don't breathe a word of this…" he rushed, and then suddenly motioned with his hand, gesturing to his face, to indicate the near emotional breakdown he seemed to be experiencing. Glancing away for a moment before looking back at Beth, he sniggered lightly, almost in amusement with hisself, "I gotta rep to uphold, know what I mean? The tough-guy image; if my bros find out I…" he looked at her hard, whispering, his voice almost horsed, "cried, they'd never give me any rest."

Beth shook her head, not believing that the others would be so cruel, and implored, "No, Raphael, I don't think they would …"

He waved his hand as if pushing aside her comment as he almost snapped, "Trust me; they would…partly my fault cuz I sort of…created this persona, this invincibility, this…attitude of mine. No, they'd ride my tail for a good long time, so you hafta promise me ya won't tell."

Realizing that Raphael truly believed every word he told her, Beth nodded, "I promise, Raphael. Cross my heart and hope to…"

"Not if I can help it, lady; I'd protect you with my very life," he stated, recognizing the familiar phrase.

With those words, Raphael seemed to straighten up, he saw the look of surprise on Beth's face, and then he bowed towards her, soon easing off the chair and to the floor. His sudden move caused Beth to scoot back in concern and further onto the bed, but then Raphael stopped advancing the moment he was on his knees. With his head still bowed, he slumped forward a little, placing his hands on the concrete floor in front of his knees. Then he began to utter a long string of words that seemed to tumble out his mouth, but they were in a language that Beth could not understand.

Beth sat there on the bed, with her eyes wide with wonder, as she listened to Raphael speak words that, for the life of her, she hadn't a clue what he was saying. Yet, the tone of his voice was so reverent, contrite, and he sounded so desperate, that she hesitated to interrupt him. She wanted to ask him to translate what he was telling her, but his litany of whatever it was he was saying seemed unbroken, without pause, or hesitation. Consequently, she continued to sit there for a good five minutes, wondering what he was saying, as she listened to Raphael pour his heart out to her.

Then, because of the way he had prostrated himself in front of her, only one thought seemed to occupy Beth's mind, and it almost made her bolt for the door, _"Good Lord, I hope he's not proposing."_


	24. A Ruckus Royal

**_Disclaimer – _**_Hmm…(checks bank account)…nope, don't own them. Would like to, though, but then I don't think these guys like to be owned. Anyway, my heartfelt thanks to everyone who is continuing to read my missive and a bigger heartfelt TY's to those who left a review. They are – **Ramica, Lunar Ninja, Mewfem, Jessiey Landroz, Katana Babe, Chibi Rose Angel, Reluctant Dragon, Kaya Lizzie, Leo Oneal, **and** BubblyShell22.**_

_Some of you have wondered why Raph would worry about Mike and Don learning that he cried in front of Beth, when they witnessed him crying up in April's apartment. Hmm…just in case you missed that point, he wasn't aware of them being at April's, so – as far as Raph knows, he was alone when he cried then._

_BTW, I am hoping to contact all of you via E-mail to thank you personally for your many comments when this story ends. I sure do miss the days when we could do this after each chapter, though. sighs_

_In either event, things get a little 'busy' with this chapter. Be blessed._

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**Chapter 24 – A Ruckus Royal**

Leo didn't know why, but for some odd reason he found himself awake. He lay there on the cot in Don's bedroom, blinking the tiredness away, while he tried to figure out what had interrupted his rest. He heard Don snore softly just above him and to his right, his brother as deep in sleep as Leo had been a moment ago. Yet, his snore wasn't so loud as to be considered disturbing.

Nevertheless and for some inexplicable reason, Leonardo was awake.

He sighed, then, and tried to relax, draping one well-muscled arm over his face. At one point, he turned from his plastron and onto his side, trying to find a more comfortable position, but soon found himself back on his stomach, again. He thought of turning over onto his back, yet, sleeping on his carapace seemed - odd. The thought of him sleeping in that position brought images of helpless vulnerability to him. He smiled a little, as the phrase, 'somebody help the boy', came to mind. Yes, indeed, the image toyed at his mind of the hapless turtle, the unfortunate creature stuck on his back, with stubby feet peddling for all it was worth, and getting nowhere fast. It made him almost chuckle aloud, except that, for the common turtle, being stuck on its back would mean a death sentence. Still, despite his obvious human physiology, for Leo to imagine himself on _his_ back seemed instinctively wrong.

The longer he lay on the cot and tried to go back to sleep, though, the more he heard the internal workings of the lair. The sound of water whooshing through pipes beneath the subway floor, where the lower sewer system was, seemed to sooth him a little. More sounds of comfort came to him, such as the various snores filtering in from the other rooms. Where his other brothers and father slept, only a few compartments away, their nighttime murmurings came easily to his ears.

Propping his left elbow underneath him and raising himself up a little, Leo sighed. He rubbed at his eyes with his right hand, and yawned wide. It was becoming all too obvious to him that falling back to sleep was not going to happen any time soon.

Then, as he accustomed himself to the various sounds of the lair, he heard something else, something that seemed out of place for that time of night. Someone was speaking, or whispering, as if they did not want to be overheard. Their words seemed rushed, desperate, but the language they spoke was one of which Leo had only recently, and slowly, been reacquainting himself.

Someone was speaking Japanese.

Now, the sleepy muddle of Leo's mind instantly vaporized as he jerked further awake.

_"Who is that, whose voice is that?"_ were questions that tugged at his mind as he now sat straight up on his cot.

He quickly looked over at Donnie. Where his eyes had finally adjusted to the inky blackness, Leo could see his brother a little better. He was nothing more than a darker silhouette against the gray-dark of his lightless room, but it was easy to tell that Don was lying flat on his stomach. He snored softly, his head turned outwards towards the interior of his bedroom, and oblivious to Leo's waking. Leonardo realized, then, that nothing short of a bomb-blast would wake his brother, and so he eased off his cot to stand up. He then stood perfectly still as he strained his ears to hear.

As the direction of the sound became clearer, he slowing began walking towards it. Following the murmur of the muffled voice, he found himself stepping closer to the opposite wall from where the beds were and which separated Donnie's room from the one that Beth was using. The closer he came to it, the better he could hear. Then, suddenly, as he pressed his ear to the thick wooden wall in the middle of the subway car, his eyes flew open in alarm. He instantly recognized the voice.

Raphael was in Beth's bedroom!

Leo stood there for only a second, trying to find some reason as to why his brother would be in the same room as Beth. Then, as a sudden fear gripped his heart, he immediately bolted angrily for the door of Don's compartment, not caring if he woke Donatello - or the rest of the clan.

Raphael looked up at Beth and realized, then, that he had her completely befuddled.

_"Of all things, speakin' t'her in Japanese."_ Raph chided himself. Yet, he knew that it was his overwhelming emotions that forced him, by habit alone, to utter such lamentations in his father's language. It was, after all, the first language he and his brothers had learned, before discovering that those living topside didn't speak the same way. Then, after learning English, the only times he and his brothers would ever utter their original language was either in Splinter's presence, or if they wanted to further insult one another, as brothers often do.

Shaking his head slowly, Raph chuckled a little, his expression of remorse now released and his pent-up self-loathing gone. He then quickly translated to the girl what he had tried to tell her, as he smiled faintly, "What I was try'n to say, Beth, was I'm sorry, sorry for being such a jerk. I've been goin' through things, lost a good friend, two actually, and seein' you here only reminded me of them – of - her, really." He wiped his eyes dry as he continued, "Not yer fault, ya know, but –well – as ya can see, we're not average garden variety turtles. Who's gonna like us for being us, without seein' the shell, the green skin – our ugly face?" He took a deep breath and continued, "Seein' you kiss'n Leo yesterday just drove it home fer me is all, and I sort of lost it. I just wanted t'tell ya that I'm sor…"

However, while Raph had explained his murmurings to her and before he could finish, Beth had risen from her mattress. Her heart had pricked from seeing Raphael cry. Hearing his emotional lamenting in the strange language, and then his translation just now, had explained so much to her. She quickly stepped the short distance to him. Stooping down a little, she then took one of his hands to pull him up out of his submissive posturing.

Now speechless, for he hadn't expected this kind of response from her, he slowly rose to a stand. He stood a bit taller than she did, and his mouth was slightly ajar, as if he were stunned. Consequently, he stood in reflective surprise before her.

Then – shocking him further - she hugged him as she said, "I understand and – I forgive you, Raphael." As her arms went around him, he felt the strength of her embrace, with her head lying against his shoulder, facing away from him. He closed his eyes and, for a moment, relished the gesture, of having her against him. Then, he allowed his own arms to encircle her, and that was when Raphael teared up once more, but this time a wider smile grew along his snout.

Yes, to Beth it made perfect sense for Raphael to feel resentment and loss, and then jealousy to see one of his brothers kissing her. She had to agree with him, that the chances for anyone falling in love with any of them was slim and none. Where they had kept themselves so well hidden from society and where they were unique and not human, it would make it even harder for them. It would obviously take a miracle for any of them to find love. It was then when she realized how fortuitous it was for her in finding Leonardo in that alleyway. Had it not been for that, she would still be in her apartment, fearing shadows, squeaky floorboards, and life in general.

And, as far as Leonardo was concerned, it made her weak in the stomach to think what the authorities would have done to him had they found him first.

Nevertheless, she realized in sudden surprise a startling change. In numb bewilderment, she recognized that she had progressed from going catatonic from the mere idea of being where she was, to embracing one who had caused her to go catatonic from only the day before. How could such a change happen and in so short of time, she asked herself. Nevertheless, she put her personal wonderings aside, as she then murmured to Raph, "Please know, Raphael, that I do not hate you, but my heart belongs to…"

However, before she could tell him that Leonardo had stolen her heart, a sudden sound rang out from outside in the lair, as if a door had been slammed opened. It startled Beth for a moment, causing her to hesitate, and then, in the next instant, a figure came charging into the room, roaring objections as it did.

Beth quickly released Raph and whipped around, as Leonardo came rushing in, yelling at the top of his lungs, "Keep away from her, you _bastard!_"

Seeing Leonardo charging into the room and fearing his brother's lack of caution, Raph pushed Beth out of harms way. His quick shove caused her to fall up onto the bed, yet safely out of reach of the ensuing ruckus. She lay there for a moment, stunned, as Raphael met his brother's fury.

Without hesitation, Leo charged into his brother, and his brother met the challenge. The two turtles then embraced in furious hand-to-hand combat, each grabbing at the other. Raph yelled for Leonardo to stand down, blocking his moves as he did. However, this only enraged his brother more and caused him to fight harder.

Recovering her senses, Beth scrambled further onto her bed in terror, only to tuck herself into the far corner as she watched the ensuing fight. With her only exit blocked by the two combating males, she was helpless to escape the room. She watched as Leo tore into Raphael, who now found it almost impossible to break away from his brother. Leo had grappled him around his neck and carapace, trying to pull him down, while Raph braced against the attempt, spreading his legs as he tried to grab at his brother in turn. When Leo realized he couldn't 'mat' Raphael, he then began to pummel him with fists and kicks.

Understanding that blocking the strikes did little to quell Leonardo's attack, Raph let loose. Suddenly a volley of snap-like jabs and hits erupted between the two brothers. Each of them shoved and kicked at the other in a furious attempt to subdue. They both moved quickly, almost impossibly quick, in fact, as far as Beth was concerned. Yet, she could do little but to watch.

Nevertheless, the muffled sound of fist hitting flesh, or plastron, resonated repeatedly and loudly within the room. All the while, Leonardo continued to bellow in fury as Raphael yelled for Master Splinter.

At one point, the two ninja knocked a table over, spilling its contents, that table included the lamp. Yet, despite its upending, its precious light remained fixed and steady. When he saw an opportunity, though, Raphael lightly kicked it out of harms way, lest either he or his brother step on it. He then gave a quick glance to Beth and saw the fear in her eyes. He hoped that she would not space out as she had done the last time he and his brother had fought. So far, though, he was relieved to find that she was more interested in staying out of their way than going catatonic. He then continued to defend himself against his brother's onslaught.

As it was, Leonardo seemed to have lost it entirely. His eyes blazed with a jealous rage, as he fixated on his brother. He screamed at Raphael for trying to take Beth away from him, as he continued to strike out at him in fury.

Raph could only yell back, "I wasn't trying to take her, **_Leo_**; knock it off, I was just…" but then his brother changed tactics and dipped into his ninjitsu. It was something that – up until that moment –seemed impossible with his impaired memory.

The sudden shift in the fight almost caught Raphael by surprise, but his own skill in the arts quickly alerted him to the change. He immediately stepped up the speed and efficiency of each of his counterstrikes, meeting kick for kick with an equal and powerful force. At one point, Raph's rebuttals sent Leo hard into the side of the bed, causing Beth to jump as she screamed out in surprise. That was when Raph realized that the girl was in danger. Consequently, he quickly grabbed the outer edge of Leo's carapace and flipped him towards the opened door of the bedroom. As Leonardo rolled expertly up to a stand and raced back into the middle of the room, again, Raph suddenly charged towards him with his head down. As he plowed into Leonardo, he grabbed his brother around the middle. In the next moment, the two battling brothers shot through the opened door of the room and into the main area of the lair. Now rolling along the ground, entwined in each other's desperate and angry embrace, their shells scraped noisily across the concrete floor.

The entire melee took only seconds to end up where it was, just enough time for the sound of the fight, and Beth's scream, to alert the remaining members of the family. The moment Raphael and Leonardo slammed onto the floor of the abandoned subway station, Mike, Don, and Splinter came racing out from their own sleeping quarters.

"Leonardo, Raphael, I _insist_ that you cease your fighting!" Splinter called out to them

While their Sensei tried to stop the altercation, Mike and Don went to Leo's room to check on Beth. There, they found her crumpled in a corner of the bed and shaking terribly. She looked up at them with fearful trepidation in her wide eyes, yet she seemed to remain lucid and coherent. Donatello breathed a sigh of relief, fearing that she would have gone catatonic again from witnessing yet another fight.

"It's going to be fine, Beth," he tried to assure her, gently patting her arm, "They just have to work this out, is all," he remarked. Still, hearing the fight between his two brothers just outside the room did little to convince her of this.

"But, all Raph was doing was…" she tried to explain, but Mike then interrupted her as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"What happened, Beth?" he asked, taking one of her hands and soothingly caressing it.

"I was trying to tell you that. He was apologizing to me. That's all he was doing," and then her eyes flew open in worry when she wondered if maybe she had betrayed Raphael with telling them even that. "You're not –going to tease him, are you, for apologizing to me?" she begged piteously. "Please don't tease him, please?" she begged some more, her expression earnest and sincere. Witnessing Raphael's emotional breakdown and hearing his heartfelt apologies had changed her view of the overbearing turtle. _"Splinter was right,"_ she thought to herself, _"there is more to him than what I've seen."_

Shaking their heads, both Don and Mike said in unison, "No, we won't, Beth, we promise." They sat next to her, each one either patting her back reassuringly or taking her hand in encouragement.

That seemed to ease her insecurities a bit, but then a sudden shout from Splinter – an almost worried and grieved exclamation – interrupted them.

In a rush, Beth frantically scrambled off the bed, fearing the worse. As she scrambled towards the door of the room, Mike and Don joined her. What they saw, next, outside the car caused Beth to cry out in alarm and Mike and Don to gasp in surprise.

Leonardo was lying prone on the floor of the lair, in front of the coffee table, with Raphael standing over him, sweaty, breathing hard, and with his fists clenched in anger. Blood coated his hands, while some dripped alongside of Raph's mouth where Leonardo had evidently punched him. Several large bruises were already forming along his legs and arms where his brother had struck.

As for Leonardo, he, too, showed fresh injuries and bruises along his body, yet, none seemed to be serious. This mystified the trio standing in the doorway of the subway car as to why he was unconscious. Then, they watched as Splinter walked between Raphael and Leonardo. He sternly said something in Japanese to his upright son, just before the rat pointed his walking stick towards Raphael's bedroom.

Raph tried to explain things, but the rat interrupted him, reiterating the direction he wanted him to go. Then he took his walking stick and whacked his son alongside his plastron for emphasis.

"Go, now, before I put you beside your brother!" Splinter hissed.

"I was just defending myself, SENSEI!" Raph grumbled loudly, "_He_ attacked me first!" he insisted.

Another whack from the walking stick silenced whatever else Raphael was going to say. However, he narrowed his expression at his father and declared, "I'm not a child, anymore, SENSEI!" Pointing to his brother, who now lay unconscious and prone on the ground, the turtle spat out, "Leo may be yer favorite son, but that doesn't mean that he's always RIGHT!" Then, Raph quickly stormed away from his father and towards his bedroom before Splinter's stick could strike against his carapace a third time. As he did, he grumbled under his breath, cursing more than saying anything of relevance. Barreling into his room, he immediately slid the door into its pocket with a hard, angry pull.

Mike and Don were stunned for only a moment as they watched their petulant brother disappear inside his room, but then Donatello went into immediate action. Both brothers ran over to where Leo lay, with Don checking his fallen sibling's vitals. He checked Leonardo's eyes and noted their condition, stating in frustration, "He's probably suffered _another_ concussion." He turned to look up at his father, "Did he just fall or what?"

Splinter sighed as his head drooped, his ears and whiskers flattening, as he said, "Raphael executed a roundhouse kick at Leonardo's head."

Both brothers' eyes went wide, with Mike asking in shock, "At…his _head_?"

Nodding affirmatively, the rat said, "Yes, but Leonardo had tried the same thing just before."

Mike and Don both looked at one another, and then back at their father. That was one target, when their practiced, that they were all forbidden to use, the power behind their well-trained kicks lethal and, therefore, too dangerous to implement in training. The fact that Leonardo had tried to use it, and in the way forbidden, said many things to them, but one fact stood out more than the other did. That was when Don pointedly asked, "I thought Leo's memory loss prevented him from remembering how to do something like that?"

Shrugging, Master Splinter replied sadly, "So did I." He studied his unconscious son for a long moment as Don went back to checking on Leonardo's other injuries. Then, after a thoughtful moment, the rat said, "It would be best to move him into his own room," he looked over at Beth, who still stood in the doorway of the Leo's compartment, "My dear, I am sorry, but you will have to use my room for the rest of the night."

Beth came out into the lair from the doorway, her arms wrapped around her body insecurely, as she watched Don pick Leo up. She observed as he carried him passed her and into the bedroom that she had just vacated. As Mike followed in his wake, Beth tried to do likewise. However, Splinter stepped quickly to her side and gently took hold of her arm, as he entreated, "No, Beth, let Donatello care for Leonardo. He is well versed in first aid, as you know." She turned to look at the rat, her eyes wide and concerned. The master nodded, "Yes, I know you are worried, but rest assured, Donatello will take care of Leonardo." Then, he turned her towards the kitchen, gently pulling her along, as he offered, "Let me make you some of my tea, it will help you rest."

However, Beth resisted, stopping and pulling her arm way from the rat's gentle hand, "No, Master Splinter, I don't want any tea. I – I just want to be close to Leo, if you don't mind. I won't be in the way, but…I want – to watch, please?"

The Master looked at the girl and noted the earnest expression on her face. He saw that she was quite lucid and clear minded, not anywhere near to going catatonic, as she had been before. Finally, he smiled and said, "Yes, of course you do. Come then," he invited, as he turned back around towards Leonardo's room, "we'll watch together."


	25. Recovery and Apprehension

**_Disclaimer_**_ – I own nothing but the story. A big thanks to those that stopped by to read this, and a bigger thanks to those who left a comment or two – **KLCtheBookworm, Katana Babe, Shadowflame611, Reluctant Dragon, Empress Caroline of Tamaran, Leo Oneal, Kellie Fay, Ramica, Jessiey Landroz, Lunar Ninja, XXXElektraXXX, Chibi Rose Angel, Pacphys, Mewfem, **_

_As for Beth and Leo, there's still more to the story, but what story would be worth its weight in readership if everything went the way readers wanted it to go, eh? Angst is as angst does, so to speak, and the muses will do what they do. So – try to hold on tight, my friends. Lots can still happen before the end of this missive! However, this chapter might cause some of you 'Leonardo' fans to worry a great deal. Bwahahaha._

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**Chapter 25 – Recovery and Apprehension**

Leonardo remained unconscious for well over an hour. During that time, Splinter managed to get Beth away from the bedroom where his son was, and over to the living area where he had her sit on the sofa. Hours earlier and shortly after the near fiasco with the burned hamburger buns, Donnie had declared the stovetop usable. However, at the time he had warned Mike to wait before cooking anything in the oven, that is, until he could give it the same 'seal of approval'.

Now, as they waited for Leo to wake up, Mike went ahead and made a pot of hot water for Splinter and Beth's tea, as well as for his and Donnie's cocoa.

Donatello, in the meantime, remained in Leo's room. He wanted to be close by in order to watch his brother's vitals, in case Leonardo had an adverse reaction to the concussion. The last thing they needed would be for him to slip into a coma. Although Leo's other injuries were healing well, it wouldn't be too difficult to aggravate his already compromised mental health.

As Beth sipped at her tea, Splinter observed the girl as he drank from his mug. With her knees drawn up close to her, she sat snuggled into the back of the couch. She embraced her cup with both hands and continued her vigilant stare towards Leonardo's room. Her worried and concerned expression told Splinter how she felt about his son, and every now and then, Splinter heard her sigh. It was obvious to him that she felt frustrated and possibly fearful for her friend's health. Yet, it mystified the rat as to why his two oldest sons had been fighting in the first place. The Master thought back to when he had initially heard the skirmish between Raphael and Leonardo. When he emerged from his sleeping compartment, Splinter had noticed that Beth's room was the only one lit. It was obvious that she was part of the reason and it caused him to wonder which of his two sons had paid the girl a late-night visit. Where he had a choice between either Raphael or Leonardo, it was anyone's guess which one it might have been – given their obvious feelings for her.

Nevertheless, at the time when he had sent Raph to his room, Splinter easily sensed the girl's concern. However, there seemed to be something else that he had felt from her, as well. It was something that contradicted how she would have normally reacted to Raphael's fight with Leonardo. Considering how she behaved with their first altercation, Beth should have been at least angry and frightened of him. Instead, she sent out an aura of pity and compassion for the red-banded turtle. This was in direct conflict to what Splinter had witnessed from her only the day before.

He continued to reflect on that thought, all the while studying the girl and keeping his mind alert to his stricken son.

Beth, in the meantime, felt torn. She worried about Leonardo the most, of course, but her heart ached for Raphael, too, and the way that Splinter had struck him. It was the first time she had seen the rat strike any of his sons, and it bothered her. Yes, she thought, there was a lot of emotion roiling between the father and son, with Leo unconscious on the floor. The fact that Raph had evidently executed a dangerous kick to his brother's head could have disastrous results. There was no blame against Splinter for his angry retort, yet had he listened to Raphael's explanation, maybe some understanding might have occurred.

Beth knew that it was Leo's fault for barging into her room the way that he did and assuming the worse, without giving either she or Raphael a chance to explain. Where she didn't know enough about ninjitsu to understand how the fight had escalated, she did understand how, in the heat of things, it was easy to lose control. It was something she had learned from her father whenever she would attend hearings he had to debate. He had always told her that self-control and managing ones words could be the difference between winning and losing a case.

It was obvious that same held true with physical fights, too, for now Leonardo was lying unconscious in his bed, while Raphael probably lay remorseful and angry in his.

While Beth pondered these thoughts and as she sat silently on the couch, with Splinter in his chair, the silence was broken when she heard the rat ask her, "Miss Beth, may I ask you who was in your room?"

Beth startled and then looked sheepishly over at the master. She wondered how much to tell him, fearful of breaking her promise to Raphael. Yet, an explanation was necessary, if only to absolve one member of the family. She sighed then, answering in a soft and worried voice, "Raphael was, Master Splinter. He was apologizing to me, for what he did yesterday, for…well…getting mad at Leo and me for…" she blushed slightly and then averted her eyes, "…for kissing."

Splinter smiled a little, noting the girl's embarrassment, but then he sobered once again, "Despite his intentions, Miss Beth, my son should have waited until morning to tell you this."

Beth looked over at Raphael's bedroom, mindful of the fact that voices carried well in the cavernous lair. She then looked over at Splinter and whispered even softer, as Mike sat to her left with his second cup of hot cocoa, "He couldn't sleep, Master Splinter, he told me he had to tell me before morning, or he wouldn't be able to sleep. He said something about getting it out of the way so that, before I go back to my apartment, we could have a better visit."

Mike smiled a little as he listened, but then remembered his promise to Beth about teasing his brother. Still, Splinter caught his son's expression. Unaware of the agreement Mike had made earlier, he gave him a look that said any comment at all would be unwise. Mike shrugged noncommittally and then went about sipping his hot beverage in continued silence.

Then, Beth added one more thought, "It was after Raph apologized when Leonardo came into the room. He didn't even ask what we were talking about. He…" Beth hated to share what had happened, where her heart was concerned, but since she now understood Raphael a bit better, she had to tell Splinter everything in order to be fair, "…he just charged into him and started fighting."

Splinter studied the girl again, allowing a moment of reflective silence to pass between them. Nodding in understanding, the rat reiterated his point, "Be that as it may, Raphael still should have waited until morning. It was very improper for him to visit you when he did." The rat turned a glance towards the single lit room, "However, it was equally improper for Leonardo to react the way that _he_ did." He sighed, then, "Still, had Raphael delayed in talking to you, Leonardo would not have had any reason to confront him." Splinter shook his head and looked over at Beth again, "Nevertheless, they both acted inappropriately. If it were not for Leonardo's injuries, I would have to punish him as well."

"Please, don't punish him, Master Splinter; Leo didn't understand why Raph was in my room. He's already upset with the way Raphael had been reacting to me." Then, she softened her voice even more, "Raph shouldn't have even been punished. I – I understand him a bit better, now," Beth said simply.

Although he would disagree with the girl on the issue of punishing his sons, her admittance caused him a bit of amusement. "Do you?" the rat asked her curiously, raising an eyebrow, "Why so?"

"Um…well…" Beth began, but she realized that to say anything might very well break her promise about keeping silent concerning Raph's emotional issues. Instead, she told Splinter, "I believe he was sincere, Master Splinter, when he apologized to me. I…could see it in his face."

Nodding acceptance to her simple answer, yet sensing there was more to it than what she allowed, the rat let it rest until he could talk with her later. His own encounter with his son from earlier had said much to him about Raphael's emotional state. Had he truly been unable to keep silent until morning, it was possible that, during his apology to Beth, Splinter's tempestuous son might have had a similar reaction.

Regardless, the rate was more concerned with Leonardo's concussion and his future within the clan.

Almost an hour later, Donatello called out in earnest, "Master Splinter, come here, I think Leo is waking!"

Instantly, three forms shot up from where they sat and rushed towards the sleeping compartment where Leo was. Although the rat was elderly, when called up on, he could move as fast as his sons did, and so he led the way. He slipped quickly into the room, with Mike and Beth right behind him. Immediately, he noticed Leonardo as his son squirmed restlessly on his bed, as if dreaming. The rat moved swiftly to his bedside, with Mike following along beside him. Splinter then sat precariously along the edge of the mattress. He gently took up one of Leo's exposed hands with a paw and began to massage the back of it with the other.

Splinter softly called to him, "Leonardo, can you hear me?"

With his eyes still closed, Leo moaned, as if in response. Then he gave a weak attempt to say something, but his words mumbled out incoherently. He worked his tongue around the inside of his mouth and then licked his lips. Finally, he uttered, almost out of breath, "Have….have to call the…guys…all around me…Foot everywhere…" Then, slowly, his eyes opened and, as he looked into his father's face, his restlessness ceased. He blinked to focus and then, when he seemed to recognize Splinter, he smiled weakly.

"I'm…home?" he asked uncertainly. He blinked again, as if not quite believing where he was.

"Yes, my son, you are home." Splinter assured him, smiling in reply. The wise rat studied Leonardo's face. He recognized awareness in his son's eyes. Unlike the confused expression that he had from the day before, it was obvious that the veil over Leonardo's impaired memory had lifted. His very countenance told Splinter that, truly, his son had recovered and was back to his normal self.

"How? How…did you guys find me?" Leo asked haltingly as he noticed Don hovering next to him, with Mike eased into his view, as well.

While Splinter, Don, and Mike tended to Leo, Beth had huddled near the door. She wanted so much to go to Leo, but she was mindful of Splinter's request from earlier and her own promise about staying out of the way. Consequently, and due to the shadows that were there by the doorway near where she stood, Leonardo's befuddled state kept him from noticing her.

Nevertheless, Leonardo's question caused both Mikey and Don to stand there in shock, neither of them quite certain how to respond. They looked at each other with raised eye ridges and swallowed nervously, glancing once at Beth, and then they looked back at Leonardo again.

However, before either of them could reply, Splinter quickly responded, "You…were found, Leonardo, by a friend." He smiled, "For now, though…" he felt Beth's presence at the door and knew that she had heard every word, "…I want you to rest." Then, the rat stood up from the mattress, mindful to stay between his son and the girl, and faced one of his other sons, "Donatello, make sure that Leonardo stays his bed." Splinter's words and expression told Don that under no circumstances was he to let Leonardo out of his room. "I will go and make a cup of tea for him." Then, the rat turned around and walked towards the door.

As he approached her, he saw the earnest and sincere confusion on Beth's face. Sadly, he knew that his son's recurring memory might not include remembering her. However, Splinter didn't want to upset Leonardo with something that was beyond his control, so the rat gently motioned for Beth to leave the room. He heard his other sons move in around the bed to block Leonardo's view of the doorway, their conversations rising effectively above whatever comment the girl might chance to make.

As it was, Beth shook her head to negate the rat's request. Yet before she could say anything in protest, Splinter brought a finger to his lips to hush her. He then explained in a low whisper, well under the excited voices of Mike and Don as they talked with Leonardo, "It is best, now, if we let him rest, let Donatello tend to him," and then he gently took the girl's arm to turn her back towards the lair.

As Splinter hurried her away from the door and out into the lair, she asked worriedly, "But, how come he asked if he was home, Master Splinter?" She felt her stomach gripe up in apprehension, as she nearly cried out softly, "How come I can't see him?"

Splinter explained as he kept his voice low, maintaining his goal of getting the girl away from the room, "I believe that he does not recall you, my dear." He felt an expected shift in Beth's demeanor, her body stiffening in surprise and shock at his words. She tried to stop, to turn back, but he continued his firm yet gentle hold of her as they walked, commenting as he did, and forcing her further from the room, "It seems that Raphael's kick to Leonardo's head has helped him to regain his old memories."

They were now almost to the kitchen when Beth forced the rat to stop. She refused to go any further, stubbornly objecting to move. "Wait, what does that mean, Master Splinter?" she asked as she turned to face him, tears welling up in her eyes, as she looked at the rat. She thought back to the kiss she and Leonardo had shared the night before; the obvious affection that he had for her, what she felt for him. She turned back around to face Leonardo's room again, forcing the rat to let go of her lest it become a battle. However, instead of running back to where Leo lay, she remained where she was, her body trembling as she softly cried, "How can he…just forget me so easily?"

Splinter sighed, laying a gentle paw on her arm, "My dear, it is too early to say if he has or will forget you completely, but we need to let him adjust." The rat once again took Beth's arm with a gentle grasp, "Come, and help me make some tea for him. Once he has had some of it, I will…introduce you to him."

Fifteen minutes later found Beth sitting on the couch, waiting there by herself, now, while Splinter tended to Leonardo in his bedroom. Mike and Don were still in the room with him and Raph still sequestered himself in his. She had already finished her tea that Splinter insisted she drink, and now she sulked with worry and concern. She kept thinking about the different way that Leonardo had spoken when he first woke up, the almost familiar way in which he looked at his brothers, and his sensei. Asking about if he was 'home' implied that this place was not as new to him as it had been the nearly two days before. It all sounded as if he had indeed recovered. The way and manner in which he talked seemed as foreign to her as it was familiar to his family. What if he did indeed lose his memory of her, any recollection at all, and only saw her as just another human? What if she – were a stranger to him?

Just when she thought she could love again, it seemed as if life had taken an ugly turn once more on her behalf.

"It's just not fair, not fair at all," she seethed inwardly.

Then, a movement from her right drew her attention away from Leonardo's room. When she looked over, she noticed that Raphael had finally emerged from his compartment. He stood there just outside his door, looking down at the line of cars towards the only one that had a light emanating from it. It illuminated the area just outside the door of what used to be the landing platform for the subway station. Just beyond and with graying shadows in-between, was the living area, softly lit by the one floor lamp, and then the kitchen. He glanced over at Beth where she sat on the sofa and then tried to smile, but Raph looked back towards Leonardo's room again, his look degrading to worry. He sniffed once and then worked his shoulders around before he turned and made for the kitchen, all the while giving the room in question occasional glances.

As he approached the living area, he looked over at Beth and sighed, saying, "Guess I screwed up again, eh?"

Beth looked up at him and shook her head, a sadness edging her words, "No, you couldn't help it, Raphael. Leonardo didn't leave you much choice." She looked at him and gave a small smile, "Shouldn't you be in your room, though?"

Raph snorted and gave a sideways glance to where his father was, hidden from view by the contours of Leonardo's bedroom. He then looked back at the girl, "Not the first time Splintah's sent me there, won't be the last time I left b'fore he tells me I can, eithah." Then he continued on to the kitchen.

Beth shook her head and smiled, leaned over to pick up her cup, and then stood to join Raph as he continued onwards towards the kitchen. She sighed inwardly at the change between them. No longer did she fear him. The bit of transparency he showed her earlier helped her immeasurably to understand this brother of Leo's. She sadly commented as they walked, "It seems that your kicking Leo in the head has helped him to – remember living here,"

Raphael caught her implication, but didn't say anything as they stepped into the kitchen. As he approached the table, he stopped and suddenly leaned his hands along the top of it, as if stricken.

Beth stopped, as well, realizing Raphael's sudden change in demeanor.

"What's wrong, Raphael?" she asked, now turning to face him.

He looked at her, a pained expression growing on his face, and said, "I could a' killed him, Beth."

"You didn't, though," she eased over to lay a comforting hand along his trembling arm.

"You don't know anythin' about ninjitsu, Beth. That kick was designed to kill…and…" he looked at her and then tore his gaze away to stare at his now-whitened knuckles, as he pressed his hands harder against the table. With his teeth clenched, he hissed, "I've used it against my brother, went against all the rules that Splintah's been teach'n us."

Beth shook her head, "Leo didn't give you much choice. You said he tried the same with you, right?"

Nodding, Raph swallowed as he replied, "Yeah, but…I should'a known bettah than to reply back the same way." He looked at her, his eyes pained and suffering, "I'm chunin, or second in command, but I'd been put in charge of my bros while Leo's been out of sorts, before you found him." He sighed, "No, what I did was unforgivable…should'a exercised more control than that."

He then suddenly straightened, saying, "Doesn't mattah, Leo's back, an' I can go about doin' things like I always did." Raph strode confidently over to the refrigerator and yanked it opened, reached inside, and procured a bottle of beer. As he closed the appliance's door, he easily thumbed the top off the bottle. Immediately bringing the bottle to his lips, he took a long, eager pull of the golden liquid.

"You really like that stuff?" she asked as she grimaced in disgust.

After taking his first swig and wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, Raphael replied, "Once in a while, when I'm stressed, yeah…what's it to ya?" but then he caught himself when he realizing his rudeness and Beth's surprised expression. He shrugged as he said, "Sorry, habit. Yeah, I like a beah occasionally. Especially aftah Splintah gets on my case." He grinned wide, "Should be an alcoholic by now, but I do try to control how much I drink; don't need any of _those_ problems added to what I already have." He chuckled a little and then sat down at the table, "Care t'join me?" he asked her.

"Drinking beer? I don't think so, Raph," she smiled, "but I will make myself another cup of tea."

After heating the water to boiling again and filling her cup, Beth then plopped in a teabag and let it steep for a few minutes.

Five minutes later found Beth sharing her tea with Raphael and his beer. Both of them sat at the table, quiet, reflective, and each occasionally looking over at Leonardo's bedroom. They could hear various voices filtering out, and, occasionally, see one of its occupants moving around, but for the most part, they largely ignored Beth and Raphael.

Finally, Raph cleared his throat, took a swig of his bear, and then looked directly at Beth.

She caught his gaze and asked, "What?"

"Just…thinkin'," he replied evenly after he swallowed his drink.

Beth had her elbows resting on the tabletop, with her hands clasped together. Her chin rested on top of them as she looked up at Raphael. She asked with a slight smile, "About what?"

"About…you…an, him." Raph nodded towards the subway car in question and paused for a moment. Then, he took the last bit of beer from his bottle and sat it down, commenting as he studied the empty in his hand, "If Leo's got his old memories back, what about his new ones?" He shot a knowing glance at the girl and waited.

"What…do you mean?" Beth asked, straightening up in her chair and dropping her hands into her lap.

"Exactly what I said, what about his new ones. You, for example?" Raph explained, nodding towards her, as he looked at her. He had a slight frown playing along his face. "I mean, if he fergets who ya are an' all."

"I don't want to even think about that, Raph," she declared, her chin jutting out defensively, "How can you even say something like that?" Beth looked over at Leonardo's bedroom, "I can't believe he would forget me that easily."

"Why?" Raph challenged derisively, "I mean, he's only known ya fer – what – less than two days? We've been his family for the past twenty-one years, Beth. Not to be mean, but ya bettah get quick with reality, cuz if Leo's forgotten about ya, then you're gonna have to have an alternate plan fer yer life."

Beth sat there and stared hard at the turtle, anger welling up within her as she silently mulled over his words to her. The girl nervously wrung her hands in her lap, not wanting to think about such matters. She knew that in only a very sort amount of time, she had gone from being alone to someone who did not want to be that way ever again. The transformation amazed her. Yet, as she thought about it, Beth realized that the longer she allowed herself to remain aloof and without any friends while living topside, it was far too easy to stay that way. Without anyone challenging her way of life, Beth never had a reason to change.

However, after her brief adjustment to being around others, even with those 'others' more strange than she was used to, she had developed a hunger for companionship. Splinter's mentoring through meditation and his kindly, if not wise, words, certainly helped her.

Yet, it was Leonardo, most of all, who seemed to have made a stronger and deeper impact on Beth. He had changed her outlook on life. Not only had he shown her a kind of caring that she wasn't used to, but he had quickened her heart as well. Now, to consider that he might not remember her at all, almost caused the girl to panic.

As she stared at Raphael, with her mouth going dry, and as her vision wavered, in that moment the turtle saw the change in the girl's expression. Swallowing nervously and as he reached out to her with a comforting hand, he grumped to himself, certain of his cursed life, _"Great, just great, that's all I need, t'make her go catatonic again. As if I need more 'nails' in m'coffin!"_


	26. Cats and Bags

**_Disclaimer – _**_Ah, gee, it's obvious, isn't it? I don't own nada. Just read and enjoy, review if you want to. A glimmer of hope for some of you obsessive Leo-fans. :0) A glimmer, though, and not a floodlight full. Gotta be thankful for even a little bit at this point, eh? LOL _

_My thanks and appreciation for everyone who read and especially for those of you who took the time to leave a comment or two – **Dierdre **(who left so many chapter reviews, she almost wrote a chapter - and whom I totally forgot to include here with the original upload because she included her review of ch 25 with chapter 18 and I didn't see it until - she e-mailed me about 'not getting any love' with this review shout-out. Rein hangs head in shame), **BubblyShelly22, Kaya Lizzie, Pacphys **(especially for your very long, complex review! Wow)**, Chibi Rose Angel, Empress Caroline of Tamaran, Lunar Ninja, Mewfem, Sassyblondxoxo **(sure have missed you, gal!)**, Shadowflame611, Reluctant Dragon, Katana Babe, Ramica, and Jessiy Landroz. **_

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

**Chapter 26 – Cats and Bags**

Raph frantically glanced over at the subway car that was Leo's bedroom, and where his father and brothers were. He then looked back at Beth and saw her eyes glaze over, her mouth relax, and her head droop just a bit. She was going catatonic again!

"God, what am I t'do?" Raph said in a hushed panic, his eyes wide as he reached across the table to touch Beth's hand. As he caressed the top of it lightly, he begged between clenched teeth, trying to keep his voice low, "Com'on, Beth, snap out of it." Her eyes flicked just for a second, but then degenerated back to its fixed gaze once again. When he didn't get much of a response after that, Raphael quickly moved out of his chair and around to where Beth sat.

Grabbing her shoulders with as light a touch as he could and giving her a little shake, he whispered, "Beth, Beth," his voice strained as he tried to keep the volume down, "Ya gotta snap out of it, girl…" He stroked her face with one finger and sighed. Then he had a thought, declaring in as excited a tone as he could, yet still keeping to the hushed tones, "Hey, Leo's callin' for ya. Yeah…" he looked up towards his brother's room. Raph hoped that his father hadn't sensed the desperation he was feeling. Just the same, he was willing to do whatever it took. Looking back at Beth again, "Splinter just gave me the high sign that Leo's been asking for ya."

Raph hated lying, but desperate times meant desperate measures.

Just then, Splinter's concerned voice called out from Leonardo's room, "Raphael, is everything all right?"

_"As rain,"_ Raph grumbled to himself, and then more directly, so that his father could hear him, "Well, I…ah…sort of have a…_situation_ here, Sensei."

Immediately, the rat came to the bedroom door and peered out into the lair. He quickly noticed Raphael standing next to a seated Beth. In that same moment and with the way the girl seemed slumped in her chair, he also instinctively knew that something was wrong. However, he quickly turned back towards the room's interior, as if something or someone had distracted him.

"Leonardo, I insist that you remain in bed. No, stay there…please, do as I ask…"

Despite Splinter's stern request, though, his son soon appeared at the doorway, looking out into the lair to evaluate what was happening.

It didn't take the turtle long to notice the girl, for in the next instant he asked inquisitively, "Who _is_ that, Sensei?" He saw a girl sitting placidly at the table and apparently immobile, with Raphael hovering by her side, his hand on her shoulder as he gently talked to her.

Splinter sighed and resigned himself to the situation, looking at his son with a sad expression, "That, my son, is the 'friend' who found you."

"Really?" Leo asked, pursing his mouth a bit and looking at his father incredulously. He then glanced back at the scene playing out in the kitchen, "She…_found_ me?" He frowned a little and furrowed his eye ridges to look back at Splinter again, "Why did you bring her here, though. I thought we all agreed that we wouldn't bring humans to our lair anymore?"

Nodding reluctantly, Master Splinter replied, "This is true, Leonardo, but – in helping you, she – _injured_ herself. Her wound bled too much to just leave her where she was."

"Yeah, Dude, she would'a bled out if we'd left her in her apartment," Mike replied, walking up next to his father. Almost in the next instant, however, he felt a firm, quick thwack from Splinter's walking stick, as the rat struck him along the front of his plastron, "Ow, what was that for, Sensei?" Mike complained, bringing his hand up in reflex to protect the offended area.

"It is not important where we found her, Michelangelo," Splinter replied sternly, "and I would kindly appreciate it if you would allow me to handle this," he remarked. He glared reprovingly at his son as the rat flattened his ears just a little, a sure sign that he was not at all pleased.

"Sorry, Sensei, I didn't think it mattered where we found her," Mike replied, rubbing the front of his chest. He then stepped back and away from his father.

Startled and concerned at Mike's mention that he and his brothers were in her apartment, Leonardo asked, "What were you guys doing in her apartment?"

Splinter rolled his eyes as he shook his head, resigned to the inevitable questions from his son. However, it was obvious to him that Raphael was not having much luck with the girl, "Leonardo, allow me to first tend to our guest. She suffers from a sort of malady and it seems as if Raphael is having problems because of it." Then, Splinter left his bewildered son standing by the subway cars, as Mike and Don eased in beside their brother.

Leo looked out across the lair and watched as his father approached the girl at the table. He saw Raphael bow his head slightly and then utter an apology in Japanese. Leonardo could tell that his father was not pleased with Raph, not with the way the rat's tail snaked impatiently along the ground. Knowing his brother the way that he did, he half expected to see him sent to his room. It was obvious that Splinter was not very happy with him. Still, Leo was surprised when all Raph did was to move away from the girl, allowing Splinter to ease in beside her.

As he watched, he knew that his other brothers next to him were probably more aware of things, especially Michelangelo. He asked him, "What's her name?"

"Beth," Mikey quickly said, as he stood next to him, "and she's had the hots for…" but then he found himself dragged back inside the room, his arms flailing around in protest, as he complained, "Hey, Donnie, watch it, I wasn't gonna say anything that wasn't tru…Ow, STOP with the shoulder pinch, 'kay?"

"Just keep a lock on it, Mikey…let Splinter handle this." Don remarked as he released his brother.

Taking a few steps away from him and rubbing the top of his shoulder where Don had pinched him, Mike shot a baleful glare at his genius brother, "Sheesh, between you and Raph." He then shrugged as he sighed, "Okay, I'll lock it up," Mike then made as if he were locking his lips and then throwing the key away.

"That'll be the day. Personally, I think you truly do need to be locked up," Don shook his head and smiled.

"Hey, I resent that!" Michelangelo grumped.

"See, not even ten seconds," Donatello could only shake his head in mild amusement.

"Hey, I gotta say what I gotta day. Besides, you could have been nicer, Don…it's not like you to…" Mike continued to nag, but when Donnie gave a pointed glance at his brother's shoulder, the orange-banded turtle suddenly found that lock again for his mouth and went mute.

Leo glanced back at the two and asked, "So, why _were_ you guys in her apartment?"

Mike grabbed Donnie's arm and begged, totally forgetting about the 'lock' once again, "Com'on Donnie, that 'cat's so far out of the bag, he's a mile away, I think we can answer this question without getting into trouble with Master Splinter."

Sighing, Donnie nodded, "Okay, yeah, it's obvious why we were there, I guess." He turned to Leo, "Beth evidently brought you to her apartment, which is where we found you. When we went in to extract you, that's when…" he looked to Mike again and rolled his eyes at his brothers widening grin, "Beth hurt herself."

Leonardo pondered that thought for a moment, then, with one raised eye ridge, he asked with great concern, "You guys…didn't hurt her, did you?"

Shaking his head in earnest, Mike replied, quickly backing up to avoid Donnie pinching him again, "No, dude, she was trying to defend you, got kinda scared when she saw us, and then she fell on your sword."

Leo's eyes widened considerably, "What in _shell_ was she doing with my sword?"

Donnie growled a bit under his breath as he glared at his little brother, "You just couldn't leave it there, could you, Mikey?"

"Have I ever, Donnie?" Mike grinned as he spread his hands out in supplication. He then said to Leo, "She found it in the alley next to her apartment, where she found you. We watched her pick it up."

Donatello realized that, despite all the warnings, it was perfectly obvious that Mike was not going to keep silent. He did make sure, however, to keep his voice low, so that his father would not overhear him, "Okay, here's what happened. We saw her take the sword and because we didn't see you in the alley at the time, Raph assumed she had already found you. That's when he followed Beth, to find out where she had you. Once your location was determined, we came back later, when we thought she would be asleep. However, we didn't expect her to be in the living room, which is where you were. You were unconscious and she _was_ asleep, but…" Donnie glanced at Mike, whose eyes were now growing wide with worry. Donnie grinned mischievously, but reconsidered, much to Mikey's relief. Turning back to Leo again, Don said, "then she woke up. That's when she took the sword to defend you – or, more than likely, herself."

Mike breathed an audible breath and mumbled a weak, "Thanks, bro," to Donnie, and then added quickly to Leonardo, "Yeah, then she sort of passed out, an' that's when she fell on the hilt, it sort of cut her a bit…and she bled a LOT!"

Nodding, Leo remarked, "Then it made sense for you to bring her here. I'd hate for anything to happen to someone who tried to help me." He then turned back to face the lair, watching as Splinter now sat next to Beth at the table. His sensei had taken up one of her hands in his paw, while his other rubbed her back. He could hear his father speaking softly to her, trying to bring the girl out of her malady.

"What's wrong with her, though? Why isn't she responding?" Leo asked worriedly.

"Ah, yes…" Donnie replied quietly, "Beth suffers from PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder. She's had some difficult experiences and going catatonic is what she does when her stress levels overload."

Leonardo glanced over at Donnie and asked, "What…happened to cause her to do this now, though?"

Shrugging, Donnie started to reply, but Mike commented instead, "She hasn't been too fond of Raph; you know how he can get sometimes, and she has this reaction whenever he's around her."

Leo furrowed his eyeridges a bit, "How…long has she been here?"

Donnie sighed again, offering Mike a withering look before telling Leonardo, "About two days, but – well – you know Raph as well as any of us. Doesn't take much to get him going."

Nodding, Leo grinned, "Yeah, that's Raphael for you. Still…" Leo pondered, "why would he affect her in such a way as to cause her to do this?"

Mike looked at Donnie, his eyes pleading and his smile widening, "Should we tell him about the rest?"

Leo turned, now, towards his brothers. He realized, in that moment, that there was more to the story than just a simple rescue. As he thought about it, he knew there was something else that Mike had said just before Splinter admonished him. "Say, Mike, you mentioned 'hot', as if she had the 'hots' for someone." Straightening himself to stand a little taller and taking on the attitude of the leader he was, Leonardo stepped aggressively towards Mike as he asked, "What or who does she have the 'hots' for?"

Mike gulped and looked imploringly at Donnie. Yes, he wanted to tell Leo the whole story, where all his brother had known up until a moment ago was that a 'friend' had rescued him. In fact, at the time, Leo had asked if the rescuer had been Casey. The disappointment on Leonardo's face seemed crestfallen when Splinter said that it wasn't him, but then the rat had abruptly changed the topic to one centering on Leo's health.

Now, and as usual, it seemed as if Michelangelo had said more than he should have.

Donnie could only roll his eyes at Mike in response, expelling a frustrated breath, as he told Leonardo, "You, Leo, she has the hots for you."

Leo stood there in shock, "For…me? You have to be kidding, right?"

Mike, overjoyed, now that the proverbial cat was definitely out of the bag, grinned as he nodded enthusiastically, "Yep, bro, you're her number one!" Then, he sobered a bit, "And, we think Raph likes her, too."

"**Too**?" Leo nearly shouted, "You mean _I_ liked her?" He looked back through the doorway and saw that the girl seemed to be coming out of her stupor. He watched as Raph relaxed a little, a noticeable smile creasing his snout as Splinter managed to get the girl to stand up. The rat gently moved her away from the table and gradually over to the couch, while Raph stayed where he was and watched. Splinter then sat Beth down and joined her on the sofa. He still seemed to be talking with her, and she appeared to say something in reply, but Leonardo's mind was still reeling with the fact that he had liked this girl. "How…_much_ did I like her?" he asked Mike as he turned towards his brother with a pained expression.

"Hmm…kinda a lot." Mike replied sheepishly. He was still a good distance away from Donnie's reach, but by this time, Don had resigned himself to the fact that nothing was sacred anymore. He could only lean up against the wall closest to the door of the bedroom, his arms crossed in front of him, as he studied the ceiling in exasperation.

"You are so dead when Splinter finds out that you told him," Don remarked ruefully.

Leonardo looked back out through the door to the living area and watched as his father ministered to the girl. He saw Beth smile at one point, then shrug, but in the next moment, she began to cry a little. For a moment, Leo felt a twinge of compassion for her. Was she crying because of Raph or was she crying because of something else? These questions came to Leonardo's mind as he watched the scene in the other room.

Just the same, he knew that if he had truly liked this girl when he was not himself, and liked her a lot based on what Mike just said, then it was apparent to Leonardo that there was something about her which appealed to him subconsciously. Still, Leonardo had convinced himself years earlier that what he was and because of where he lived, it prohibited any kind of friendship with anyone from topside, especially someone of the opposite gender. He knew that anyone befriending him and his family would put that person in the gravest of dangers if the Foot ever found out about them. It was the main reason why, as a clan, Splinter insisted that they never again enlist the help or the befriending of any human. After losing April and the torture that she had gone through by the Foot in their attempt to gain the location of turtles' lair, it proved to all of them that their life had to remain a mystery until they passed from this world. Splinter did not want anyone else to suffer the way that the reporter did. Her last words to them, when they finally found her, proved her loyalty. She had refused to say anything at all, despite the horrors she went through.

Nevertheless, they had all recognized the rarity of such determination, where most humans would have rather given them over to the enemy than to suffer the way that April did.

In any event and despite his apprehensions, Leonardo could not help but be fascinated with the girl. The fact that she had brought him to her apartment, had obviously cared for him until his family arrived, told him that she was not a threat. She could have done any number of things that would have put him in danger. Calling the police was one and, of course, the zoo was yet another.

Yes, her efforts did give the girl points in the 'trust' factor. Just the same, the way that Mike explained to Leo how Beth had tried to use his katana to defend herself – or even him – impressed the turtle more. That took courage, despite the girl's affliction.

Leo then looked determinedly over at Donatello and asked, "How much is 'a lot', Donnie?"

Don's eyes widened a bit and then he gulped, saying, "Ah, well…a lot is a lot, Leo."

"_How_ much?" Leonardo's eyes narrowed, giving Don the 'look' that said he had better answer straight.

Sighing and shaking his head, Don replied in resignation, "You loved her, kissed her even."

"I…_kissed_ her? Really?" Leo chuckled, "Me?" He glanced back out the door again and saw Splinter heading slowly for him, the rat's progress towards the bedroom area determined and sure.

Meanwhile, Raphael stayed in the living room, seated next to Beth as he talked with her. "And what about Raph?" Leo asked inquisitively.

"Jealous as shell, dude! He likes her, too." Mike chortled gleefully.

"Ah, man…not another one." Leo groaned. "How bad is it for him?"

"Well…" Don replied hesitantly, "you can actually thank him for bringing you back to your senses."

"Why's that?" Leo asked, as he looked back at his brother.

Mike replied, "Seems Raph's been kind of pissy about you kissin' Beth and, well, from what she told us, he tried to apologize to her tonight…"

"Only you heard him from my room where you were staying, since Beth was using yours. That was when you and Raph got into a fight." Donnie added, "He…sort of kicked you in the head."

Leonardo stood there in shock and asked haltingly, "He-sort-of-did-what?"

"Well, dude," Mike explained, "you did it first, an ol' fashioned roundhouse kick, in fact."

Leonardo shook his head, "I must have truly been out of my mind to do that." He glanced back to where Raph was, just as Splinter came into the room. Everyone grew suspiciously silent then.

Splinter did not miss a thing; the look of shock and surprise on Leonardo's face said much to the wise ninja master. One look at his other sons and seeing their guilty expressions also told the master that the cat was indeed well beyond the reach of any bag.

"I assume there is not much left for me to say?" he asked them dryly.

As guilty as two foxes in a hen house, the brothers stood there and swallowed anxiously.

Mike finally commented nervously, "Not much, Sensei."

Shaking his head and sighing in defeat, all that Splinter said in reply was, "Figures."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………


	27. Difficult Decisions

**_Disclaimer – _**_Again, once again, and again, I do-not-own-them! Okay? Fine. _

_Anyway, a great big thanks to all who are continuing to read my missive and an even bigger thanks to those who have left a review._

_Before I list them, however, I want everyone to know that, even with this chapter, this story has not concluded yet. There is still much that has yet to happen, changes can occur, and – despite what some readers have suggested I do – I have already decided if Beth's attacker will make an appearance, or not. I appreciate your interest, though, I really do:o)_

_Also, my heart and hugs to all of you, once again, who have had the misfortune of experiencing, regardless of depth or complexity, any form of PTSD. I have had brief glimpses of it through my own experiences, although I would hardly consider 'earthquakes' in the same category with what some of you have gone through. Nevertheless, I appreciate your willingness to share via the review window, as it allows me, as well as others, to understand just how insidious abuse is and the long-suffering effects that it can cause. I wish you health and happiness, but I also wish you recovery just as much. Be blessed._

_Now, for those who commented, my thanks and appreciation goes out to – **Leo Oneal **(reviewed both 25 and 26)**, Mewfem, BubblyShell22, Reluctant Dragon, Kellie Fay, Empress Caroline of Tamaran, Dierdre **(see apologies in previous chapter for unintentionally omitting your name from the shout-out lineup)**, Katana-Babe, Tewii, Lunar-Ninja, Ramica, Jessiy Landroz, Mikaela Space, and Chibi Rose Angel. **You guys are the best and your comments are what keeps me going with this story._

_Be blessed_

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

**Chapter 27 – Difficult Decisions**

"Sensei, how am I supposed to act around her, now?" Leo asked worriedly. His other brothers had already left the bedroom moments earlier and were currently with Beth in the living area. He could hear the television from where he sat on his bed, his legs pulled up into a lotus position in the same fashion as his sensei's, who sat next to him. A few chuckles and a bit of laughter filtered in through the opened door of his room, telling Leonardo that whatever programming his brothers were watching, it was more than likely a comedy.

Yet, the girl's voice seemed absent from their sounds of amusement. Leonardo sighed and wondered if someone had already told her that he didn't have any memory of her. If it were true, that she had fallen in love with him, then he could only imagine how badly she might have felt about that.

Nevertheless, as he considered his situation, he had a problem and a big one.

Splinter sat next to him, his legs bent across one another, and sighed. "Maybe it is best that we meditate in my room, Leonardo, where I can light my incense and we will be further away from..."

Shaking his head, Leo's eyes went slightly wide, as he interrupted, "No offense, Sensei, but I want to know how I should act around her _before_ I leave my room. I mean…" his voice went soft, almost fearing his next set of words, "Don said that she was _in love_ with me – and…that I _kissed_ her!"

Nodding, Splinter replied, "Yes, she is and you did, but there is very little that any of us can do about it right now." He looked at his son and sighed, "I have already told her about your recovered memories, and…that they do not include her."

With his assumptions confimred, Leonardo nodded acceptance and thenlooked down at his hands.Swallowing, he then softly asked, "How…did she take it?"

Quirking his head a bit and looking away, the rat answered simply, "As any young girl might, who's heart still swells for the one who's heart does not." He smiled then as he returned his gaze to his son, "However, as much as I was against your relationship and as worried as I had been about your amnesia, I was pleased that you had found love."

Leonardo's head snapped up in surprise and quickly noticed the glint in his father's eyes, "You…were?" Shaking his head, he asked, "But…what about all those lectures, about how we're not supposed to fraternize with humans? What about April and what happened to her? It's too dangerous. Aren't you afraid that…"

Splinter sighed deeply, interrupting his son's litany of worries with a raised paw, "As much as I fear that such a thing will undo our clan and put us at risk, I know that I cannot keep you from experiencing such events." He smiled again, "If anything, Leonardo, this experience has taught me that to prevent you or any of your brothers from such close relationships, would be cruel on my part." He glanced away for a moment, "What is it they say? Love changes everything?" Nodding, he repeated, "Yes, indeed, love certainly does change many things." He patted Leonardo's knee and then stated as he changed the topic, "Now, let us put aside this concern of yours and try to meditate, to clear our minds, and to see what comes from it."

…………………

Beth sat sullenly on the couch and in-between Mike and Don. She had her arms crossed dispassionately in front of her, as she tried to distract her mind from the events of that evening, or early morning, considering the time. She tried not to yawn, but she did sigh every now and then, prompting Mike, or even Don, to give her a reassuring pat on the arm, or an encouraging word or two. Nevertheless, she sat there, despondent, worried, and not at all happy about Leonardo's recovery.

As for Raphael, he reclined in one of the armchairs situated to the left of the sofa and at the opposite end from where his father's rocker was. He tried to ignore the girl, as he slouched in the furniture, his left leg draped haphazardly over that side of his seat. In one hand, he held a small bowl of popcorn, while the other hand maintained a regular attempt to keeping his mouth full.

Mike and Don held similar bowls, with a bigger bowl sitting by itself on the coffee table. The container itself was nearly half-empty, now, and it was becoming increasingly more so, as they occasionally refilled their bowls with more of the crunchy snack.

Mike, the more animated viewer, shook the couch with his deep-seated chuckles whenever something hilarious occurred within the television program. He smacked his hands against his thigh once occassionally during some of the televised antics; truly enjoying their late-night viewing.

As it was, they were all watching an episode from the old I Love Lucy show, the one where Lucy and her friend, Ethel, try working at a candy factory. As the two characters in the program desperately filled their mouths with an ever-increasing supply of confection, Mike's laughter grew in response. Soon, Don couldn't hold back, either, and followed in kind, with Raphael joining him not long afterwards. As the foolhardiness increased on the sitcom and as the brothers' laughter multiplied, sporadic sprays of half-eaten popcorn spewed out from their mouths in a shower of soggy, yellow bits.

In contrast, Beth tried very hard _not_ to enjoy the show. Instead, she elected to sit there on the sofa to pout and ultimtaely feel sorry for her situation. Even the 'popcorn rain' or the capers of Ethel and Lucy, did little to adjust her attitude. She looked over at where Leo still resided in his room and wondered what Splinter was telling him. It was becoming all too obvious to her that her friend knew how she felt about him, that is if the events from earlier said anything.

Initially, while Splinter attended to her catatonic state, she had been unaware of Leo staring at her and talking with his brothers. However, once the master had left her side to go over to Leonardo's room, Beth finally noticed her friend as Leo stood in the doorway of his sub-car. She had all she could do to keep from running to him. However, she did try to approach Leonardo, taking slow, even steps from the living area towards his room. As she stood up from the couch and proceeded to walk towards Leo's compartment, she vaguely heard Raphael say something about 'staying put'. She dismissed him easily, though, for her focus was on his brother and no one else.

Unfortunately, as she neared Leonardo's room, Mike and Don had stepped through the door's threashold, quickly blocking her way. Miffed was hardly an adequate word to describe how she felt, then. Asthey stood there and as Beth tried to look past them to her friend, she heard Splinter say something to Leonardo, who slipped back into the room and beyond the girl's view. Then,Splinter appeared at the door, baring her approach as well, andto make his point to the girl.

Quite reluctantly, she obliged the old rat, allowing Don and Mikey to escort her back to the living room where they encouraged her to sit down. She distinctly remembered the look on Raphael's face, too. It seemed to be a mixture of amusement, hope, irritability, and…anticipation. She thought it especially strange.

Nevertheless, she complained mightily. "Maybe if Leo sees me, hears me, talks to me, maybe he'll remember?" She tried to pull away, but the two turtles held fast to her arms, "You're not even giving him or me a chance!" she complained.

"You need to give him time, Beth," Don told her, "He's just coming out of his amnesia."

"Yeah, Dudette, if you go running in there, you'll scare him for sure; he won't want to remember then." Mike chortled good-naturedly.

With that, Beth finally resigned herself and allowed them to sit her on the couch. Then, Mike left for the kitchen to make the popcorn, while leaving the girl with Donnie and Raph.

Now, as she sat on the sofa, Beth fumed to herself, angry at their reproach and angry at fate in general. Life just seemed so incredibly unfair to her. Just when she was beginning to enjoy the idea of having friends, of having someone close to her, and of being kissed again, it all gets taken away in a singlemoment.

A while later, movement from Leonardo's room caught Beth's attention, as it did everyone else's in the living area. Raphael reached over and switched the television off and then stood up, but remained where he was. Don and Mike leaned slightly forward on the couch and angled themselves towards Beth, just in case she tried to bolt. They watched as Leonardo made his entrance, and, as he did, they felt Beth's expectation rise. It was a hopeful feeling that contrasted her sullen mood from before, one that she had nursed for the past hour. Fortunately, they did not have to intervene, for just as soon as they sensed her change, they also felt Beth's deliberate attempt to control her reaction.

Don smiled at her, "You're doing great, Beth…like I said, just give him time…let him come to you."

Raphael heard his brother's remark and he bristled inwardly. Nevertheless, he had to show better restraint as well, that is if there was ever a chance for the girl to look at him in the way that she saw Leonardo. He knew it was, at best, a slim chance, but a chance regardless. After all, Beth was, for all practical reasons, the only viable female who seemed capable of looking past the obvious differences between her species and his. Raph knew that he, too, had to be patient, yet it was something that he was not accustomed to being. Just the same and with much determination, he stood there and waited.

When he saw the girl and as she looked directly at him, Leo hesitated slightly. His father stood supportedly beside him as his son took a deep, calming breath.

"Just be honest with her, Leonardo," the rat encouraged softly, "That is all she should expect from you."

"I…know, Master Splinter," Leo whispered. He turned anxiously towards his father, "What will happen to Beth if I can't return her feelings, if I truly cannot remember her?"

Splinter half-closed his eyes as he replied, "Let us take one step at a time, Leonardo. I will say this much; I will not stand in your way if you re-discover your heart for Miss Beth, but I will not allow her to stay here if you cannot." He looked at his son, "It would be cruel to keep her in close proximity to you, when you are unable torecipocate heraffections."

"What…about Raphael?" Leo then asked as he turned to stare out across the lair's expanse, again, andtowards his brother. Raphael gazed back at him, standing alert. Leonardo then saw that Mike and Don continued to sit on the couch next tothe girl, who remained seated in-between them.

As Leonardo looked back over at Raph, however, he easily felt his brother's apprehension and worry, and in that moment, Leo knew that Raphael seemed uneasy. Then, in the next instant, he felt Beth's anticipation. The depth of her feelings impressed the turtle greatly, the force of her affections for him almost causing him to turn around and run back into his room. Howsever, he couldn't help but inwardlylaugh at the irony. Here he was, almost a ninja master himself, and seeing a girl in love with him had caused his knees to quake. Was it fear, or…was it something else entirely?

Nevertheless, he still had to face her, he still had to explain, to apologize. He had tosee if maybe what he supposedly felt before was real or only a byproduct of his amnesia. Even though his role as second in command to Splinter, told him that he did not have the luxury of enjoying such things, his father's comment from earlier gave Leonardo a new perspective regarding relationships. Yes, what happened to April was horrific, her death something that had deeply affected his clan to its very basic core. Yet if this Beth sincerely loved him, was it possible that her allegiance to his family's need for secrecy might be as steadfast as April's was? Would this Beth have the same strength to preserver hardships and even torture at the hands of their enemy, just to stalemate the Foot's attempt to locate the mutant clan's lair. April's visage, and her final words to them when they had finally found her, still haunted Leo, "Did…everything to me…" she had said weakly.She was almost beyond recognition, barely a semblance of her face remained, her arms and legs broken like fractured porcelain, with her back twisted. Yet she lived long enough to tell them that the Foot had done everything to her…"I didn't tell…themmm…" before she faded forever into eternity.

With that thought and as the memory of April's final minutes caused his breath to hitch, Leonardo decided for Beth's safety and for the safety of his family, that he had to spurn her affections. He knew that his decision would adversely affect the girl, and it deeply saddened him, too. It wasn't as if he wanted to hurt her. Nevertheless, Leonardo's sense of duty told him that it was something which had to be done, no matter what.

As he walked towards the living room with his father by his side and as he watched the girl's expectant face, Leo could feel a sudden undercurrent of great trepidation growing within her. As their eyes met, he sensed a deep sadness from her, now, a grief that seemed to strangle its way around her heart like a weed, as her hopeful bud of romance struggled to bloom. An overwhelming sense of dread came to him, then, as he knew his first words to her would probably crush her heart.

He just hoped that Splinter had done an adequate job of preparing her.


	28. The Way of the Clan

**_Disclaimer – _**_Ah, well, Eastman and Laird, and Mirage Studios have yet to get back to me. I've left a ton of messages about buying them out. However, until the deal is final, they're still owners of the TMNT's, at least in part for some, and I'm still a writer whose only payment comes from the comments and readership of her loyal group of writer-friends. Thanks guys!_

****

_To all who keep reading this missive, I bow to your diligence. To those who read and still review, I'm eternally grateful and awe-struck with wonderment! Thanks! Those reviewers are – **Lunar Ninja, Katana-Babe, Mewfem, Empress Caroline of Tamaran, BubblyShell22, Fantacy, Mikaela's Spade, Pacphys, Dierdre, Leo Oneal, Kaya Lizzie, Ramica, Reluctant Dragon, Jessiy Landroz, **and, finally,** Chibi Rose Angel**_

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**Chapter 28 – The Way of the Clan **

Beth watched as Leonardo walked towards the living room. Although she had only been in the lair for just two days, she had learned to recognize certain facial expressions akin to him and his family.

Mike was easy to discern, of course, where it seemed he was always smiling or joking around.

Donatello would smile occasionally, as well, or appear thoughtful, and his facial features allowed for a variety of other emotions, too.

To Beth, Raphael always seemed angry or discontent.

Concerning Splinter, though, he was a bit of an enigma to the girl. He just seemed – _peaceful_ all the time, even when he was displeased with his sons.

As for Leonardo, Beth had developed a keener understanding about him, if only because of the amount of time that they had spent together. Before his memory returned, the girl knew that he cared a great deal for her with the way he would look at her with his expressive, brown eyes. The fact that Leo would ask how she was doing and his willingness to help, as well as his gentle touch, told Beth that he was a compassionate being.

Now, however, as she watched him stride towards her and as she took in his features, she saw a completely different Leonardo. For one thing, he walked more determinedly, his previously relaxed stature replaced with an air of confidence. Instead of looking at her as if she were the only one in the room, though, his face now expressed a stern disposition that said, no matter what the problem, he would either fix it or do what was necessary.

In either event, the person walking up to Beth was not the Leo with whom she was familiar. It seemed that whoever he had been before, whatever his amnesia state had created, the turtle she had rescued two days prior no longer existed. And, in that moment, Beth felt as if her heart would break into a million pieces.

Then, ever so slowly, a voice of reasoning crept its way cautiously into her mind. It was then that the girl suddenly realized one very important fact. _She_ was a creature of light, someone who lived 'topside', the term her benefactors had used to label her world above. Her physical needs almost demanded some sun and, even though Beth had sequestered herself from the world at large, nevertheless, she did venture out on occasion, if only to the rooftop of her apartment building.

In contrast and due to his unique physical attributes, Leonardo and his family could never be part of that world, not where the opportunists living there might profit from the clan's capture.

The more she dwelled on these thoughts, the more Beth realized how selfish it would be for either of them to have a relationship with the other. Not only would it put Leo and his family in danger of discovery by going topside more frequently than they did, but it would be impossible and quite unhealthy for her to remain below ground, as well.

Therefore, whatever fanciful expectations she might have had for Leo and herself, dissipated like fog under a hot summer sun.

Just as Leonardo reached the living area, Beth was trying to accept the consequences of his recovery with as brave a heart as she could muster. She knew that Splinter only reacted as any parent would, where it concerned the safety and well-being of his family. He was probably more aware of his clan's precarious existence than even Donatello was, or Raphael, for that matter.

Yet, Beth also realized that to throw herself at Leo in a desperate attempt to keep him would only force Splinter to remove her permanently from the clan. That was something Beth truly didn't want to have happen. She liked them, and maybe if she played her cards right, they might even attempt to keep in touch with her. She would even be glad to see Raphael, although she could never feel for him in the same way that she felt for his brother.

It did please her that Raph had tried to make amends with her. Yet, it seemed wholly out of character for him, too. With what little she knew about the turtle, Beth doubted very much that he gave in to emotional displays. The more she considered this particular thought, Beth began to wonder if maybe, just maybe Raphael had an agenda of his own for coming to see her so late at night. As she considered her theory, the girl recalled everything that transpired between Raphael and herself since she had awakened in the lair. From the moment he made himself known to her, Raph had grunted and complained about her presence. Beth remembered how he had even postured himself and accused her of seeing him as nothing more than a freak.

His sarcastic and sardonic attitude towards her now seemed to be nothing more than veiled insecurity, culminating when she and Leonardo had kissed. What followed with Raph's rage and hurtful words had surprised Beth at the time, but she now wondered if he was only jealous of Leo. Maybe the red-banded turtle liked her, too, but he just didn't know how to express it?

_"Quite honestly, he's not my type,"_ Beth groaned silently to herself.

As Raph watched Leo's approach, the girl looked over at him. It was easy to tell that he seemed relieved his brother was back, mentally whole, and ready to take over the reins of leadership once again. She felt a bit of sympathy for Raph, then, the feeling's sudden emergence surprising her as it edged its way into her heart. She already realized that, other than their physical uniqueness, they were as human in nature and habits as anyone living in New York City was. Yet, they were still unique. For any girl, such as herself, to see them the way that she did, now, and be able to look past the obvious, would be a miracle.

Raphael must have sensed Beth staring at him, because he briefly turned to look over at her. He smiled, then, almost comfortingly, in fact, before returning his gaze to his brother once more. Yes, Beth thought to herself, she was certain that Raphael did indeed like her.

Nevertheless, no matter how many times he might apologize to her, Beth knew that he had too caustic of a personality for her sensitive nature. As much as she felt sorry for Raphael, there just wasn't any way she could see anything occurring between the two of them beyond what they already had.

She then turned her attention once more to the one she had truly given her heart to, and felt an immediate coldness as she gazed up into his face. As Leonardo stared back, she felt Mikey gently caress her hand to encourage her, while Donatello whispered something about not overreacting. It was becoming obvious to the girl that they recognized all too well this more formal version of their brother.

Leonardo stopped, then, and stood just across from Beth, with the coffee table situated in-between them. Splinter stood next to him, as if in support, while Leo regarded the girl with an almost emotionless expression. In fact, it seemed to Beth as if Leo appeared more than willing to give back her heart she so willingly gave to him. She felt suddenly very small and very out of place.

He straightened up slightly and finally said, with his voice firm and confident, "I am told that you rescued me."

Beth swallowed back whatever expectations she had and answered softly, "Yes…I did."

Smiling slightly, Leo replied as he gave a small bow of his head, "Then, I want to thank you, Beth. It was a brave thing for you to do."

Shrugging, the girl allowed a gentle smile in return, "It wasn't that dangerous, you were…sort of helpless because of your injuries."

"No, that is not what I meant," Leonardo corrected evenly, "I would not have hurt you, but I have enemies who would have." He took a measured breath and then explained determinedly, raising his chin a little and straightened up even more, "However, because of these enemies, it makes it difficult for my family to socialize with anyone from topside, as you can well imagine. Also, I have been made aware that, because if of my amnesia, I was…well…I was _not_ quite myself with you." His smile faded, now, as he remarked softly, "I wish to therefore…apologize to you for possibly starting something that I honestly cannot finish." Leonardo bowed low before her and uttered something in Japanese. The words he used sounded very familiar to Beth, they sounded almost like the same words he used the day before, after he had embarrassed her about helping in the bathroom.

Realizing he was apologizing and in the most formal way, Beth closed her eyes against the onslaught of emotions welling up inside. It was becoming clearer with each passing moment how futile it would be for her to try and rekindle the brief friendship she had had with him. Regardless of how she felt about her friend, no amount of wishing could change the facts as they were now. It was obvious to Beth that Leo had forgotten who she was and he was now trying his best to move on graciously. Obviously, it was imperative that she do likewise, yet, she could not ignore how she felt.

As perplexed as she was and as clueless as she felt as to what to say to him, one thing was certain. The thought of returning to her apartment made Beth feel quite uneasy.

Almost as if he had read her mind, Leonardo relaxed just a little and asked directly, "Do you feel ready to return to your apartment, Beth?"

And that was it, it seemed. She would be going back, probably never to see her new friends again. It was obvious that they did venture to the surface now and then, more than likely for supplies, but to visit people, she doubted that very much. What had happened so quickly in stirring Beth's heart had ended just as abruptly. It seemed as if months had passed since her arrival in the lair, when, in fact, it had only been two days. Nevertheless, with all that she had discovered about herself and all that she had gained through Splinter's teachings, everything seemed to be slipping through her fingers like water. It just felt so incredibly unfair to her.

In reply to Leo's question, Beth had to be honest, "I'm not really sure about going back…where I feel safe here in your home." She glanced over at Splinter and smiled, and then looked back at Leonardo again, saying, "Plus, your father has taught me how to find self control."

Splinter inclined his head a bit, accepting her proffered words of appreciation.

Leo nodded in understanding and remarked, "Yes, I have been told that you suffer from a malady, something that…causes you to lose focus."

Beth smiled a little; she seemed mildly amused with his simple definition of her catatonic attacks.

If Leonardo had noticed her amusement, he didn't show it. Instead, he went on to say, "I am sorry for that, Beth, but…I believe that by whatever means you have found solace, returning to your own home will be best for everyone concerned."

Raphael had stood there watching and listening, a growing anger building with every word spoken by his brother. As much as he was relieved with Leonardo's recovery, he had still sensed Beth's great disappointment and felt her crestfallen mood. He did have to admire her, though, for not chasing after Leo. She could have cried, thrown a fit, yelled, or even thrown herself at him. Yet all Beth did was sit there on the couch and take his rejection without a single word or complaint. For Raph, it took great courage to accept defeat, although he would be the last one ever to admit it. Still, he felt sympathy for the girl and intense anger at his brother for arbitrarily throwing it all way – memory or no memory. Raphael was certain that Beth would never be attracted to him, so, in that moment, he decided to do whatever he could to change his brother's mind.

Leo soon heard a sudden growl of discontent from his right and it caused him to look in that direction. He noticed that Raphael was now glaring at him, his hands fisted in suppressed rage, with a sneer creasing his face.

Before Leonardo could challenge or even inquire, though, his brother bellowed, "I knew it, I just knew ya were gonna break that girl's heart. Wazza mattah with you, Leo? You forget t'feel or somethin'? Did I give ya brain damage, too? Good God, Leo, maybe for once in yer life, ya'otta think with yer _loins_!"

"RAPHAEL, that is quite enough from you!" barked Splinter, raising his cane to strike out at his tempestuous son.

However, before the rod could connect, the turtle intercepted its path and grabbed the cane with his left hand. Despite Splinter's attempt to extricate the stick, though, Raphael held firmly onto the rod, barely tested, as his fingers fisted around the lower end of the stick. As a contest of wills erupted between them, almost in the next moment, the tug o' war came to an impasse. Raph then glared at his father as his father glared back in reply, with silent communication passing between them. Splinter narrowed his eyes, flattening his ears at the same time. His exposed fur bristled in warning, but Raphael paid him no mind. A slight grin, barely discernable, creased the turtle's stern face.

Just as Raphael intercepted his father's cane, a duet of gasps had sprung from the couch. Don and Mike stood up in defense of their sensei, fearing the worse from their angry brother, just as Leonardo prepared to intervene as well.

Yet, one quickly raised paw from Splinter forced all three of them to hesitate. They saw the resigned expression on their father's face and, for now, it seemed that he was giving way. Just the same, three pairs of angry eyes bore threateningly at their red-banded brother, each of them ready to step in if needed.

"From now on," Raph exclaimed evenly, "I would appreciate it if my own fathah would remembah that I'm twenty-two, and not _two_!" Raphael bowed his head slightly, releasing Splinter's walking stick, as he said sincerely, "I respect ya, Sensei; I really do. I love ya, even, but ya can't keep hittin' me or my bros as if we were just children." He then huffed a bit, as he flung his right arm around for emphasis, "We keep the city safe, for cryin' out loud; battle yer feuds for ya; risk our lives and our freedom every time we go out, and yet if we so much as express ourselves," he pointed a finger at Splinter, "_you_ have a hissy fit," Raph sighed, "Again, no disrespect, Sensei, but ya need to let go and let us be who we are."

Splinter stood there somewhat speechless, yet before he could offer a rebuttal, Raphael turned and pointed to Leo, "And as for our _Fearless Leadah_ here, just because yer gonna be jonin one day, who says ya have t'live yer life like a monk, Leo? Can't ya see the chance fate's given ya here with Beth?" Shaking his head, "Geeze Louise, I'd kill to have some nice girl fall in love wit me. It's nevah gonna happen t'me, of course, but still, _you_ have this opportunity and then ya go gettin' all noble and responsible like that?" He narrowed his eyes, "Get yer head outta yer butt, Leo-san, and at least try ta remembah how ya felt about Beth!"

Leo slowly shook his head and chuckled derisively, "How can I feel anything for her when I can't even remember her?" He quickly looked over at the girl and noticed her flushed expression. It was obvious that Raphael's response had embarrassed her, but then his own unkind remarks probably offended Beth, as well. He inclined his head a little, saying, "I'm sorry, Beth; it's nothing personal, but…"

"Nothin' personal?" Raph laughed sarcastically, his voice rising as he threw both his hands up in the air in frustration, "All you're doin; is breakin' 'er heart, Leo!"

"I can't help that, _Raphael_. What am I to do?" Leo shot back in anger, as his lip curled, "_Fake_ it? That would be worse, an insult even."

"Guys, **guys**," Mike pleaded with open arms, "you know, you're putting Beth in the middle of all this and it's not even her fault!" That seemed to quiet the two embattled brothers, allowing Mike to add, "Maybe what we need, is a good night's sleep!" He then chuckled, "Seems to me the two oldest are the crankiest right now and, as for me, _I_ need my beauty sleep." He turned to Beth and said, "Leo's still gonna be using Donnie's room, so why don't you go get some sleep in the room you were using before these two butted heads," he waved his arm around to include Raphael and Leonardo, "We can pick this topic up again in the A.M." Mike offered his hand to Beth, who hesitantly took it. She stood up and then allowed him to lead her away from the living area. As he guided her in-between his two brothers, he whispered to her, "Should tell ya that those two never get along, ever. Too much alike."

Beth glanced once at Leo as she passed him, her face filled with pain and grief, and her eyes brimming with tears. She caught the barest resemblance of mortification on his face, though, as if in that instant, he suddenly realized the impropriety of his words.

As he noticed her expression and realized how deeply hurt she was, Leo's mouth suddenly opened as if to say something to her, but then he closed it and swallowed hard.

As Mike led Beth towards the sleeping compartments, Leonardo sighed and uttered, yet again, the same Japanese phrase of which was becoming all too familiar to the girl.

As she walked towards Leonardo's room, with Mike whispering encouraging words to her, Beth heard Raphael grouch to Leo, "Nice goin', Fearless."

Suddenly and unexpectedly, a walking cane shot out like a whip. A green hand tried to block its trajectory, quickly darting out to snatch it, only to miss completely. As the rod succeeded to hit its target, whacking against a bony plastron, Raph let out a loud cry of surprise, and grabbed at his chest as he whined, "OW! Sensei, com'on, _stop_ it, a'ready!"

"_That, _Raphael is for mouthing off at me!" the rat said indignantly, then, as he placed his walking cane in front of him and leaned against it, Splinter added, "And for embarrassing Miss Beth the way that you did, I want you to do…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know…ten back flips," Raph interrupted irritably, still rubbing his chest as he turned to head for the dojo area of the lair.

"No, not ten," his father corrected, causing Raphael to stop and turn slightly towards his master in curiosity. A slow smile edged along Splinter's muzzle as he said, "…_twenty_ back flips!"

Turning back towards the dojo, Raph could only groan in reply, muttering under his breath about using a particular 'stick' for kindling wood the next time the clan visited the farmhouse.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**_A/N_**_ – I would have put the Japanese apology in the body of the chapter, but I couldn't quite get it the way I wanted it. Where I'm a bit light on what to put where, as far as order of words, I elected to let those of you who are multi lingual, or who are blessed with a Japanese to English dictionary, say it for me. :0)_


	29. Remembrances

_**Disclaimer – **Yep, same as it was before, I don't own them, so please keep any litigating notions from taking root, capisce? _

_All rightie then, things are starting to heat up, wind down, take wing, or whatever cliché you prefer. This chapter is a bit wordy in the third-person, I apologize, but there are some things that the author has to write, giving voice to the character if only in thought. Regardless, though, I'd like to thank all of you for reviewing and - for those leaving comments in the review window, my undying thanks and gratitude! Those reviewers are – **Mahalove, Kaya Lizzie, Leo Oneal, Lunar Ninja, Katana Babe, Dierdre, Jessiy Landroz, Mikaela's Spade, Ramica, **and **BubblyShell22.**_

_Now, on with the story…_

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**Chapter 29 - Remembrances**

Leonardo watched as Mike led Beth inside the bedroom. The blue-masked turtle stood there next to his sensei and thought about what Raphael had said to him. Leo couldn't believe for one moment that he'd had feelings for the girl. No matter how he tried, he just couldn't remember her. Still, there was this underlying fear that _maybe_ Raphael was right. Maybe Leonardo did indeed love her and that, maybe, he _was_ throwing away a chance for something they could only dream about.

Just the same, he realized, then, that even if he could remember how he felt about Beth, what good would it do him? He was chunin, next in line to Splinter, and his job as protector and leader of the family had to come first before his own needs. There just wasn't any room in his life for romance.

Yet, as he pondered these thoughts, Leo stared off towards where his brother was currently working out. Even though they had the dojo situated on the opposite side of the subway cars and out of his line of sight, Leonardo could still hear Raphael's grunt of lift-off. From years of practice, Leo knew what followed next. He listened as Raph finished his first back flip, the soft almost indiscernible landing of hands and then feet coming easily to the ninja's ears. Then, Leo smiled as he envisioned his brother's scowl and the slight movement of lips as Raphael silently mouthed the number of each maneuver, as he went through the exercise.

Leo knew that his brother hated doing back flips, which was one reason why Splinter had always assigned them to him. Then, thinking about his father's way of disciplining, Leo tried to remember the last time his master had to reprimand him – the perfect son and the jonin-in-training.

He was, maybe, eight or ten years old. Once, after Splinter had left him in charge while the rat went foraging for food, Leonardo had unwisely allowed his brothers to go topside. Initially, Mikey was the one who had given them reason to break Splinter's most sacred rule about leaving the lair. The youngest of the four had been desperate for something to eat, more so than the rest of them were, and he had whined and had even cried at one point, which made Raphael concerned and rather insistent to 'doing somethin' about it. Of course, Leo had tried to reason why they shouldn't leave the lair, but Raph's bullheadedness eventually forced all of them out into the sewers. Leo felt forced to go along, then, if only to 'look after' them.

As it was, where they were all quite hungry, having gone for several days with very little food, so it didn't take much motivation for him to tag long.

Nevertheless, because they hadn't perfected the skills to slip into stores undetected, yet, they had to resort to stealing. That alone was bad enough. Worse still, their father had been furious when he found out about their sojourn to the world above. The telltale smell of the ill-procured pizza had been the only clue needed to convince him that his sons had indeed been topside. It didn't take much detection for him to know exactly how they managed to get it, either.

Still, avoiding the world above was one thing the ninja master had repeatedly impressed upon them to the point of pain. He had even used scare tactics to teach them that the humans living in the world above wouldn't hesitate to either make his sons zoo exhibits, or fodder for scientific experiments. It had worked, too, until their hunger overshadowed their father's training.

In either event, after enduring one of Splinter's severe lectures, Leo's stint at washing dishes for the next month pretty well discouraged him from ever allowing any of his brothers to even to step outside the lair. Rules became his focal point, his mantra, and his mistress. In fact, from that point on, it had made Leo so determined to ensure his brothers obeyed Splinter's rules that a decline in his otherwise close friendship with Raphael developed.

As he stood there in the living room and pondered these thoughts, he recalled what Raph had said about Beth. Yes, he had a responsibility to his clan, to keep them safe, free from harm, and if that meant that they had to remain friendless from the humans above, then so be it.

But, did that mean _all_ humans?

Leo thought of April, then, and the familiar strains of repressed grief raised its depressing song again in his heart. He swallowed back the pit of anguish as he thought about her, what the woman endured at the hands of their enemy, and the fact that Casey had felt responsible in some small way. If only their friend would have voiced his inner turmoil after April's death, then maybe they would have helped him to see how they were all involved with her demise. Yet, despite their self-inflicting blame, Splinter had repeatedly counseled them that it was inevitable death happened to some, while leaving others to live.

Still, once Casey had disappeared all together, the clan's need for relationships outside of their tight knit family lessened. Splinter decided, then, that their need to interact with the humans living topside had to cease. In fact, Leo had been the biggest proponent of Splinter's declaration; that is until a few months earlier.

As he recalled that moment in time, Leo remembered that he had been feeling restless long before his first act of disobedience. However, his offense was not that serious, where all he did was take off for an hour or so. Yet, it was the beginning of his rebellion, with the number of evenings gradually multiplying. Nevertheless, he went from leaving the lair unannounced on occasion, to where it became a nightly routine. Then, it stretched from an hour or so, to several, until there were some nights where he just wouldn't return until sunrise. He had become sullen and moody, refusing to practice, and just became someone other than the 'great and perfect leader' that Raphael had so often teased him of being. Mike even called him Raph Junior a few times, just to make a point.

Nevertheless, as Leo thought about his behavior for the past several months, more memories began to resurface. He suddenly recalled Central Park. As the mists of his amnesia further lifted, he recalled how he would frequent the park. He would steal himself there, careful to avoid the more public areas. Then, he would climb up into the thickest leafed tree he could find and just sit there for hours, watching the humans as they passed far below him along the dirt pathway. Leo remembered how he would observe couples, men and women with their hands entwined.

Leonardo couldn't help but to suck in a startled breath when he recalled how he had wished he were human, wondering if all that he and his brothers were meant to be was to fight and maim and kill.

As more of his past escalades came to mind, he remembered the intimate conversations these couples would have, recalling how some of them would steal themselves into bushes unseen. As Leo remembered those occasions, that thought triggered another memory, and it caused Leo to blush. He was shocked when he recalled how he had followed them, more curious as to why they would hide. What Leonardo discovered had initially repulsed him, but in a strange, primal way, it almost riveted him to his spot on the tree branch, high above where the couples lay sheltered among the bushes. He realized that what he was witnessing was not for curious eyes, certainly not for his.

Yet, despite the impropriety of his voyeurism, Leonardo found himself repeatedly drawn back to observe these secret and passionate trysts.

Ultimately, he forced himself to stop his 'peeping Tom' antics when the truth of what he was doing weighed heavily against his conscience. Yet, he had seen enough to know how unique and foreboding his own existence truly was!

As Leo stood there in the living room of his home remembering his life before amnesia, and as Splinter walked up to him to lay a comforting paw along his arm, a sudden understanding, as if it were a holy epiphany, crashed into Leonardo like a freight train.

He was lonely.

That was it…he thought to himself. He was lonely; he needed someone, someone special to call his very own, just like the couples in the park who had each other. Their intimate, clandestine lovemaking, far from normal prying eyes, and his witness to it, had triggered something deep inside of him. He knew that the feelings had been there all along. Yet he had suppressed them with years of hard training, years of fighting the Foot, trying to ignore the callings with not having a moment's peace, and most especially with April's death and Casey's disappearance. Maybe it was due to his suppressed grief or his inner denial to the truth, but Leo had to face the fact that, over time, it had become too much of a burden for him to bear. Where the foundation of his rebellion lay hidden under layers of excuses and a regimented lifestyle, he had subconsciously ignored the signs. That is, until he could no longer endure the strain. It was no surprise to him, then, that Leonardo found leaving the lair the way that he did as the only way to deal with it.

Yet, how he had ended up injured in the alleyway near where Beth lived mystified him. It was obvious by his healing cuts that there had been a battle, and more than likely with some faction from the Foot. Still, the question of why he was there didn't make any sense at all, but…in some strange way, it did. Although, initially, he didn't recognize Beth, maybe there had been some attraction to her apartment. Maybe that would explain why he was there in the first place. It was possible that he had seen her before, but, where his memory had yet to recover completely, he couldn't substantiate it.

Leonardo didn't have any answers, and it frustrated him.

But he knew someone who might be able to help him.

He turned to his father, who looked over at him with kind, expressive eyes. Splinter sensed almost immediately Leonardo's inner turmoil. The rat asked as he pinched his brows together, "You are troubled, my son?"

Sighing and then nodding once, Leonardo replied, "I'm…not sure, Father. What Raphael said earlier…"

"Raphael spoke out of turn and he should have known better!" the master exclaimed sternly, "It was not his call or his purpose to entice you to feel anything for this girl."

"I know this, but…" he looked hard at his father, a seriousness etched deeply upon his features, "…Sensei, there are things that I've just now remembered, things that I have done, some things that happened before Beth found me. And…" he looked towards the subway car where Beth was now resting; watching as Mike quietly exited the now-darkened bedroom. As Leo watched his brother slide the door closed behind him, he admitted to his father, "I think Raphael might be partly right about...her."

Splinter's whiskers twitched and Leo understood what that meant. His father wasn't the least bit pleased, and he couldn't rightly blame him, either. All things considered, the agreement they made years earlier as a clan, after April's death, now came into question

Nevertheless, Leonardo knew that he had to at least explore the option his mind was slowly, and painfully so, revealing to him. Whether or not he remembered how he felt about Beth, he had to, at the very least, explore that avenue. If only for his own peace of mind and the future of his family, he had to give Beth a chance.


	30. Confessions

_**Disclaimer – **And still, E & L won't return my calls. Bummer. I guess it's true then, I don't own them. Rein weeps quietly _

_Anyway, my thanks and appreciation to all who still find themselves reading my little missive, and especially to those who did double duty by reading and reviewing, too! Those who left comments are - **BubblyShell22, Empress Caroline of Tamaran, Fantacy, () – anonymous, Kaya Lizza, Dierdre, Makaela's Spade, Mewfem, Jessie Landroz, Leo Oneal, Tewi, Lunar-Ninja, Katana-Babe, **and **Ramica. **Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate it! ;0)_

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**Chapter 30 – Confessions**

Splinter sat on his bed and sighed. He looked down at his son and, sighed again as he sadly shook his head. It was perfectly obvious to the ninja master that with what his son had just told him, the confession had taken a lot out of the boy.

While Sensei sat in the lotus position on his mattress, Leo sat on his knees on the floor before his father. With his head bowed, thereby hiding a face streaked with tears, he knew that what he had just shared with his mentor greatly disappointed the rat and, maybe, he had even disgraced Splinter as well. Still, Leo recognized that he had to confess, to admit, to tell him what he had done. He was just glad that Splinter sensed the enormity of the situation beforehand and had ordered Mike and Don to their rooms. After finishing his imposed punishment, even Raphael retired to his compartment, before Leo confessed his sins to their father.

Now, with just Leonardo in Splinter's bedroom, and with the rat perched upon the bed, the father and one son had privacy to speak freely. Just the same, it took a few minutes before Leo could find the courage to do so.

Both he and his sensei deliberately had kept their voices low enough so that the others would not overhear. The last thing Leonardo wanted was to be the source of amusement for his brothers.

Nevertheless, once he had made his confession, Leo had to endure several long moments of silence as his father digested this bit of news.

Finally, Leonard heard him speak, "And, this was the first time you have ever done something like this?" the rat asked sternly, staring impassively at his oldest son. With Splinter's ears turned back and the tip of his tail lashing rhythmically along the bed, it was obvious that he was not pleased.

Nodding, Leo glanced up quickly at his father and admitted further, before averting his eyes again, "Yes, but…it was one of… many times that I… watched _things_ like this." His voice trailed off, then, as he swallowed deeply. As another tear escaped and trailed down his face, it was obvious that his past deed bothered him greatly.

"I see," Splinter said evenly. There was another moment of silence between the two, the heaviness of the topic weighing against them like a drenched blanket. However, the rat finally broke the quiet. With his voice resigned and almost devoid of its previous scorn – and much to Leonardo's confusion – his father said, "Well… I must say, I am more surprised that this has not happened sooner."

Leo's head shot up as he looked at his father in surprise. "What…did you say?" he nearly croaked.

Gazing gently at his son, now, the rat smiled a bit as he restated, "I said, I am surprised that this has not happened sooner."

Leo's mouth dropped open in shock and maybe disappointment, too. He was stunned that his own father, his sensei, his mentor, would even think him capable of such behavior. Finally recovering his voice, the turtle asked, "I…don't understand. Why would you…even _think_ that of me?"

"Are you not male?" the rat asked evenly, slightly raising his eyebrows as a small smile graced his muzzle.

Chuckling, Leo replied, "Well, yeah, last time I checked, I was."

Laughing lightly, Splinter nodded, "Well, then, why would I expect you to be anything less than curious about what happens between a human male and female?"

"Because…I'm, I'm…" Leo began to say, stammering as he did, yet he truly couldn't finish his statement. He then smirked a little, "I guess you've just answered my question with one of yours, huh?"

Nodding, Splinter grinned as he replied, "As always, my son. You cannot help being whom, and what, you are." Then, more seriously, "However, I am pleased that you eventually discovered the impropriety of your behavior, though, as whatever occurs between two who love each other is not for public observation!" He took a deep breath, though, and said, "Even if they were doing it in a public setting. Still, it does not surprise me that you saw what you did. After all, you and your brothers patrol at night and it is at night when the shadows are deep and concealing, where these liaisons sometimes happen." Splinter looked seriously at Leonardo again, "I know that Raphael has encountered these…events, which makes it all the more mysterious that you have not, before now."

Leo's eyes widened considerably and, by the tone of his voice, he seemed shocked, "He has?"

Inclining his head, Splinter concurred, "Yes, several years ago, when you were ill …with the flu, I believe, but Raphael took over your duties for that time. He and his brothers were patroling. He had heard a peculiar sound and then went to investigate, while Michelangelo and Donatello were busy elsewhere. That was when Raphael discovered…the couple." The rat allowed his gaze to wander a bit as he recollected, "By his account, it seems that they had their apartment window open, where their bedroom was. He told me that he was shocked, surprised, actually, but a might intrigued, and I think this is what piqued his interest in Miss Oneal." Splinter looked at his son once again and waited.

Leo's whole countenance stiffened at the mention of April's name, the implication his father made angering him just a little, "But, that's _wrong_, Sensei, to think of her like that."

"Is it?" his father asked quietly, "She was female, Leonardo, a friend to us, and available."

"She was also human, Sensei, but like a sister to us, not a _girlfriend_!" Leo said hotly. "I could _never_ see her like that!"

"As what…a girlfriend?" Splinter asked. "Maybe for you, my son, but remember that Raphael was her savior, the first of us to save Miss Oneal from the Foot's initial attack on her." He smiled warmly as he softly whispered, "Although I highly doubt that she would have seen your brother in the same light, where she considered all of us as family, someone to care about, but not necessarily in a romantic way. Miss Oneal was, after all, at least ten years older than you and your brothers, not to mention her involvement with Mr. Jones."

"Still, though, to see her and Raph making…" Leo blushed, then, not wanting to finish that thought, and shaking his head to rid the images from his mind. He groaned then, "I just can't fathom that."

"And neither could I," the rat admitted sheepishly, "which is why I insisted that he let Miss Oneal go. It was difficult for him, for where else would he find a mate? Nevertheless, to seek after the girl's attention and in the way that Raphael desired, would have ruined whatever friendship the rest of us had with her. Miss Oneal would have been forced to move on and to forget about us."

"And, maybe that would have spared her life, too?" Leo whispered sadly.

"Perhaps," the rat allowed, "but I have come to believe that if it is one's time to die, then it matters not by what means." Splinter tilted his head a bit, "Yet, you have brought up a very interesting confession, my son. Was there a reason for this?"

Leo mused to himself, "_Leave it to Sensei never to get distracted!" _ Then, the turtle nodded and said, "Yes. I was wondering…if maybe what I saw in Central Park had anything to do with what Mike and Don said…how I felt about Beth…you know, when I had my amnesia?"

Splinter sighed and bowed his head a bit, "After what you have just told me, I believe it has." He then closed his eyes as he swallowed, "As I told you, I am not surprised by your voyeurism," Splinter looked at his son again, "Nevertheless, it seems as if your amnesia allowed you to explore the desires you have tried so hard to run away from."

"What am I to do about it then?" Leo asked.

Shrugging, his father replied, "First, you must recognize that for you to seek a mate with deliberation would put you and this clan, as well as any girl you might find, in the gravest of dangers. Still, desiring for such friendship is something I cannot control." Splinter then sat back a bit and unfolded his legs, allowing them to stretch out in front of him. As he rubbed at them, he chuckled lightly, "I seem to be getting a bit old for sitting this way, my son; I am certain arthritis is beginning to set in. I'm not as young as I'd like to be, it seems." He saw concern wash over Leo's face, so he looked hard at him, assuring, "Do not worry about me, Leonardo; for I still long for this world." He stretched his arms a bit, working his shoulders around, and then he stood up, "Now, as for your problem," Splinter waited until Leo rose to stand before him, and then continued, "I cannot agree with Raphael and force you to remember your feelings for Beth. I can only encourage you to meditate on it. But until such time where you can decide how you feel, I believe it is best for the girl to return home."

Leonardo knew that whenever his father came to a direct decision, as he was doing now, the subject was closed. Obediently, Leo bowed his head, "Hai, Sensei."

"Now, my son," the rat lay a comforting hand along the turtle's shoulder, "it is best if we both sleep on this and wait until morning. As it is, it will be arriving sooner than our bodies will want!" The rat chuckled and gently led Leo towards the doorway to the room, "Meditate for a few minutes before retiring, Leonardo, so that your mind can relax from your worries."

Nodding, Leo began to turn from his father, but then faced him again, hesitating ever so slightly before hugging him. With his voice thick with released emotion, he said, "Thank you, Sensei. I'm so glad that…you understand."

Splinter smiled as he replied, returning his son's affection, "It is no bother, Leonardo; I am always here if you ever need to talk."

Later, as Leo finished with a short meditation session, he eased himself under his covers. He lay there in Don's bedroom, staring up through the darkness at the ceiling and thinking about all that he had told his father. He sighed and thought to himself, "_What if I do remember her? What if I rediscover my feelings for Beth, what then?" _ He worked that thought around in his head, wondering and imagining the many ways it could play out. "_I mean, if I do fall in love with her again, would we date? Where could we go? It's not like I can take her to the movies, or to a restaurant_." Then, as he began to work his way further along that trail of thought, "_What – if she wants to be my wife? Where would she live? She can't live here with us, can she? She's too used to living topside, even with the problems she has." _

As Leo closed his eyes, he felt movement to his right. Then he heard Don ask, "So, what's the big secret, Leo?"

Although he wasn't startled by his brother's waking, the question still surprised him. Nevertheless, Leonardo wondered how much he should tell his brother. What would Don think if he knew that Splinter's 'perfect son' had fallen from grace? Still, Leo realized that confession was good for the soul and, after talking with Splinter, he now felt less embarrassed by his past behavior.

Rather than answering his brother's question, however, Leo asked, "Don, have you ever seen a man and woman…ah…well…have you ever seen them together doing…ah…you know…making…"

But before he could finish his question, Don chuckled, "Love?"

"Yeah." Leo said simply.

"Who hasn't."

"You mean, you have?"

"Sure," Don chuckled, "Mikey, too. After all, the Internet's more than just learning about some distant land or connecting with other people through e-mail."

Leo sat up in bed, "Porn? You watch porn?"

"Not now, but – I guess when I first found it online, it rather intrigued me," Don chuckled, "But to make a daily visit to these 'rooms'? No, got kind of bored with it actually."

"Why?" Leo asked as he sat there in the dark with his brother.

"Well, for one thing, it seemed wrong. And, it was all contrived. I mean, the people didn't really love each other; they were just giving a peep show to whoever tuned in. Sort of playing the part of the exhibitionist without knowing whose watching them."

"But, didn't you wish that you could…" Leo began, but Don intercepted him once again.

"Do it too?" One could almost hear the smile in Don's voice as he went on, "Sure, bro, but…I'm a realist; no way is that ever going to happen to me. I think, right now, you're the only one who has any chance at all and, personally speaking, if you ever do remember Beth again, you better not treat her the way that these internet porn sites treat their women." He became more serious now, "Beth's a nice girl and she's had a pretty bad…"

This time, it was Leonardo's turn, "No way, Donnie, I'd never treat her like that." Leo sighed and allowed himself to lie back down on his mattress, "Honor before everything, especially sex."

A long pregnant pause washed over them for a bit, with Donatello finally breaking the silence, "Say, why did you ask me about that?"

Leo sighed and said, "Because, before Beth found me, before my amnesia, when I was off doing my own thing, I discovered a couple in Central Park doing…it. After that, for a while I sort of hunted for couples sneaking off into bushes to watch them."

Nearly barking out a laugh, but keeping his voice low, Don asked, "Voyeurism? You spied on people having _sex_?"

"Well, I don't think 'sex' is the right word, not with how much they enjoyed it. I think they loved each other."

Chuckling, Don said, "Hey, it is what it is and – believe me – one doesn't have to love to enjoy it, but…" his voice quieted a bit, "I'm sure it can't hurt, either." He was quiet for a moment and then he asked, "You think you're remembering Beth?"

"Don't know, maybe." Leo was quiet himself for a minute before adding, "If I am, then I want to make sure that it's for all the right reasons and not because I have this primal urge to…well…you know."

"Yeah, bro," Don agreed as he relaxed against his mattress again, the telltale sound of springs squeaking out in protest, "I know what you mean. What good is it unless you really feel something for the person? Commitment's just part of the package. Like you said, honor before everything."

"Exactly."

Then, as the need for sleep pulled at their minds, the two brothers finally quieted and lay silently in their beds. After a while, Don began to snore again. Leo rolled over onto his stomach and thought once more about Beth, but his need for sleep overwhelmed him and, before too long, he succumbed to the night as well.

Meanwhile, in the room next door, a young woman lay pondering her future. She could hear the gentle sounds of her neighbors' snoring and she wondered, then, if one of them would ever remember her again. Yet, Beth wasn't certain if it would be a good thing if he did. Maybe the kindest act she could give Leonardo would be for her to go home and allow him to remain safe from prying eyes, far from the clutches of those who might do him and his family harm. Although she could not deny how she felt about Leonardo, nevertheless Beth was willing to sacrifice her friendship with him, if it meant keeping him safe.

After all, he and his family had been kind enough to risk their anonymity by bringing her into their lair.

Before sleep claimed her, Beth decided then and there that letting her friend go was the least she could do in appreciation for his family's hospitality. As hard as it would be for her, Beth would bravely return to her apartment without complaint and try to forget the mutant turtle named Leonardo.


	31. Skeddadled

_**Disclaimer **- Ah, gee, same ol' song; I Don't Own Them! _

_As for those who read chapter 30, thankies! As for those who read AND reviewed, big thankies. :0) These readers/reviewers are – **Mewfem, Katana-Babe, Mikaela's Spade, BubblyShell22, Ramica, Chibi Rose Angel, Lunar-Ninja, Jessiy Landroz, Mahalove, Sassyblondexoxo, Kellie Fay, Leo Oneal, Tewi, Reluctant Dragon, Kaya Lizzie, **_

_Okay, folks, I found it almost incredibly unbelievable that Leo hadn't yet run across couples 'doing it'. Funny that I would critique my own writing, eh? Still, it seems you found the idea plausible, though. I half expected at least one of you to challenge me on this, though, especially where the guys are in their late teens, early twenties, and not at all ignorant of the ways of the Big Apple. However, I guess if you count in Leo's honor-bound system of operating, one would easily, or could easily, assume that he would avoid areas that might espouse such encounters. Needless to say, it's possible that how he behaved with regards to these trysts was more shocking to him than the acts themselves. Still, a bit of naivety is always refreshing, isn't it, even though the topic of sex isn't so taboo here on Fan Fiction? It may be implied, but implied eating, for example, is still…eating. LOL Anyway, thanks for your support with this story; it's what's been keeping my focus with continuing this surprising missive. :0)_

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**Chapter 31 – Skedaddled.**

It was about noon when everyone began to filter out from their respective sleeping quarters. Splinter was first. As he shuffled through his bedroom doorway, he yawned expansively, squinting against the soft lighting of the lair. It was obvious, even for that time of day, that it was still too early for him. Given the late-night activities his clan had weathered through, it wasn't too hard to understand, either.

As the aged rat ambled into the living room, his walking stick gently tapped along the concrete ground. He smacked his lips once, working his tongue around to moisten it, and then he made his way for the kitchen, a cup of hot tea in mind.

Coming out of his room about the same time walked Mike, then Donnie and Leonardo, as they emerged from theirs.

Almost as if on cue, Raphael slipped out from his quarters, the last car in the lineup of converted bedrooms and situated at the opposite end from Splinter's. He rubbed his arms as he walked towards the living area, trying to ease the soreness from them after having to execute the twenty back flips hours earlier. Although patroling would occasionally find him and his brothers a bit achy after returning to the lair, he seemed to be worse for wear this particular morning.

True to his character, though, Raph grumped as he found his way to the living room couch. Everyone else ignored him as they headed for the kitchen, allowing their brother to slump unchallenged into the worn furniture. Swiftly grabbing up the remote, Raphael then turned the television on and let his bulk relax into the back of the sofa. He sighed as he waited for the set to warm up, and, as he did, he glanced towards the kitchen.

His eyes racked over the scene where his three brothers and sensei were. He noticed Splinter fill the teakettle with water, place it on the stove, and turn on the burner. The rat then took a seat at the table, joining Leo and Don as they sat and talked amongst themselves. Splinter leaned against his cane, now, as he waited for the teakettle to announce itself.

While he did and while Don and Leo sons talked, Mike busied himself around the kitchen, prepping the coffee maker, before moving on to making breakfast.

However, almost as if sensing Raphael staring at him, Splinter turned his head and gazed over at his son, but only for a moment. Then, the rat turned back to study the teakettle once again, as flames licked along its base to encourage the water to boil.

Raph sighed and grumbled, turning back to stare at the television. He was still somewhat irritated with the way his father had treated him. Maybe he, too, had been out of line as far as challenging his sensei, but facts were facts. Raph was, after all, legal age as far as the human world was concerned. It was only because of their precarious existence that he remained in the lair at all. He realized that it would be suicide for him to find his own place, yet he still longed for his own home, where he could rant if he wanted to and do whatever, without his father's interference.

"_How much respect is too much?"_ he griped to himself. "_Where does it say that a parent can continue disciplining their kids, even when their kids are no longer – kids?"_ he continued to silently complain.

Raphael allowed himself to glance once more at his father. Then, almost in sudden realization, he noticed how aged his sensei seemed. With the rat's back bowed as he waited for the teakettle's whistle, it was as if the master's years weighed against him. A momentary glimpse of future loss washed over the red-banded turtle, then, realizing that his father was not the young, strapping rat that had rescued him and his brothers so many years before. In that moment, it wasn't too difficult for Raph to wonder how much longer his father would remain among them. As it was, even for a mutant rat, Splinter had outlived his specie's life expectancy.

It gave Raphael pause about his behavior from hours earlier.

_Maybe I ought to apologize to him_, he ruefully considered.

Then, almost in defiance, Raphael huffed and then refocused his attention back to the television again, as the screen bloomed to life. The news was on and the usual blurbs about traffic, local events, and national, as well as international problems, took center stage. It effectively distracted the turtle from his introspection as he allowed his attention to be drawn into the newscaster's report. However, he soon became bored and began to channel surf through the various stations, hoping for something more interesting.

Finding none, the turtle clicked the set off, tossing the remote next to him, but remained where he was and closed his eyes for a moment. He couldn't help but recall, then, what happened hours earlier. He sighed with the memory of how he had begged for Beth's forgiveness and how Leonardo had stormed into the room, instigating the resulting fight. Actually, Raphael didn't want to fight or hurt his brother. Yet, he couldn't ignore the undercurrent of hostility that he still felt for Leo. He truly resented his brother, with the way Leonardo had postured himself through the years, especially with him. Then, suddenly, to disappear for hours at a time without telling anyone, leaving the clan wondering who was in charge, angered Raph quite a bit. Although Raphael would be the first to admit to enjoying leading his clan, his spirit truly soared better alone, and without his father's expectations.

_Leading sure isn't what it's cracked up to be_, Raph muttered.

In fact, he had been so disillusioned with his new role, that when they found Leonardo and discovered that he had amnesia, Raphael felt betrayed. Carrying his brother home, he had looked forward to Leo's physical recovery. Raphael anticipating going back to his old routine of scouring the rooftops, again, and knocking a few heads around for good measure, just to keep the local thugs in line.

But, Leo's amnesia had curtailed those plans. As Raphael sat on the couch and considered all of this, he realized that knocking Leonardo out had been an underlying attempt to rouse his brother's memory again. Ironically, it had worked, but to what end, if Beth's heart became collateral damage?

Thinking about her, Raph suddenly opened his eyes and looked towards the subway car that was Leonardo's. He wondered what was taking Beth so long to wake up.

By the time Mike had breakfast almost ready, it was now obvious to everyone else that one person was missing from their little gathering in the kitchen.

Beth.

As Mike scooped up the last large spoonful of scrambled eggs and dumped them into the serving bowl, he was the first to voice this concern. As he placed the filled bowl of eggs on the table, he asked, "Hey, what's takin' Beth so long to get up?"

Raphael had wandered into the kitchen by then, the aroma of breakfast – and freshly brewed coffee, enticing him to join the rest of his family. He had heard his brother's comment, though, and expressed a similar concern, "Yeah, I thought fer sure she'd be up by now."

Donnie looked over at the car in question and shrugged, "Maybe I ought to go check on her?"

Splinter shook his head, "No, Donatello, let me. She might be a little hesitant to come out, all things considered." He looked over at Leonardo and smiled, noticing a slight blush glowing along his son's cheeks. The master knew that their earlier chat had been most transparent for the turtle, and it was obvious that Leonardo still felt some residual contriteness. Yet, after his son had left his room room, Splinter had later sensed the discourse between Leo and Donatello. The master knew that some sort of commonality had formed then, and for that, he was grateful. It would have been more difficult for Leonardo had he felt alone with such matters.

Nevertheless, the rat knew that his sons would eventually develop an interest in physical intimacy with the opposite gender. Unwisely, he had hoped that it would not occur, counting on their mutation and obvious uniqueness to discourage such things. Just the same, it was now clear to him that to ignore such a topic as 'sex' had been unwise. As to what affect it would have on the clan regarding Leonardo's new understanding about himself was beyond the rat's insightfulness.

There were, after all, just some things too hard to predict.

As he considered these thoughts, Splinter stood up and made his way over to the subway car that Beth was using. Shortly, he found himself standing in front of the bedroom door. As he knocked gently along its frame, Splinter called out, "Miss Beth, are you awake?"

No answer.

The rat lowered his head, concentrated and then he suddenly looked up. Quickly sliding the door open, he discovered to his surprise that the room was empty.

Beth was gone.

The rat looked towards the car that housed the infirmary and the bathroom, but did not sense her presence there either. He furrowed his brow and wondered how he could have missed her leaving. He was a ninja master, after all. Then again, he thought bemusedly, he had been a very _tired_ ninja master, where all of them had gone to bed later than normal. He knew that his sons were capable of slipping out undetected, especially Raphael, but for a mere human, who didn't have any stealth training at all, Splinter could only conclude one of two things.

Either Beth had tried _very_ hard to leave the lair quietly, or the rat was surely getting old.

Splinter concluded that the girl had obviously tried very hard. He could not quite accept the fact that he was getting too old to notice such things. How his sons had missed her leaving would be for a later discussion, but for now, they had to find her.

Turning to face his sons, Splinter announced, "Our guest is missing."

"What?" Raph asked in surprise, "How'd…she do that without any of us knowin'?"

"I do not know, my son, but, nevertheless, she is missing!" his father reiterated.

"Humans!" Raph grumped as he threw his hands up in frustration, "Can't stay put short of gluin' them down!"

"Raph, knock it off," Leo ordered as he and his other brothers ran for their respective rooms, "However Beth managed to leave without any of us hearing her is beside the point. Those sewers are not for the uninitiated!"

Raph nodded agreement as he sprinted towards his room, realizing that his brother was right and, for the moment, he would shelve his attitude.

Leonardo quickly slipped past Splinter and into his quarters. He came back out a moment later with his two katana firmly entrenched within their scabbards along his back.

"Do you feel ready, my son? After all, even though your wounds are healing well, you are still not fully recovered," Splinter asked in concern

"Father, I have to find her," Leo replied, "If anything happens to Beth…" he sighed as his voice trailed off.

"Very well, Leonardo, but I do not want you to engage the enemy if you should sense their presence. Let your brothers handle any confrontations," the rat ordered

Leonardo asked, "But, what if they should need my help?"

"I cannot forbid you to help, of course, but…please try to be careful, my son."

"I will, Sensei."

Then, Mike, Don, and Raphael filed out of their rooms, with their own weapons at the ready, joining up with Leo and Splinter. Their sensei bowed to them and uttered a word of encouragement in Japanese, and they bowed in reply. Then, the four warriors ran as one to the lair's exit.

Leo called back to his father, "Sensei, should we bring Beth back or do you want us to take her to her apartment?"

Splinter thought for a moment and then replied as Raphael led the way up the ladder, "Right now, Leonardo, it is too dangerous for you to return her to her apartment. It is best to wait until dark."

With that, Leo nodded acceptance and then followed Mike up that ladder as his youngest brother trailed behind Donnie.

Considering how easy it was to get lost in the sewers if one was unfamiliar with them, the blue-banded turtle was determined to find the girl and bring her safely back to the lair. Leonardo just hoped that the Foot were busy elsewhere and not traversing the subterranean tunnels of New York City. The last thing Beth would need would be to have a run-in with them.

As Splinter watched Leonardo disappear through the opening in the ceiling, he heard the teakettle whistle its readiness. Confident that his sons would find Beth, the ninja master walked back to the kitchen, soon retrieving a cup from one of the upper cabinets. He sighed and hoped that his students' emerging maturity would not provoke too many problems. After all, for any of them to seek a mate with such limited resources, it would only complicate clan life as the rat had come to know it.

Splinter rifled through his collection of herbal teas, made his selection, and then placed the tea bag into his cup. As he grasped the teakettle's handle and then poured its hot, steamy water into his mug, Splinter thought about his sons again. He chuckled to himself, remarking as he shook his head in amusement, "I'm just thankful there are only four of them!"


	32. Spelunking

_**Disclaimer **- Ah, yes, such pipedreams have I, to own the turtles and all rights therein. But, it's only a dream, a dream, a dream_…

_Okay, thanks to all who read and reviewed._ _Those who left comments, my thanks and a plate of cookies. These wonderful and thoughtful people are – **Thalpomene** **(for ch 1, but – wow – reading two of my fics at the same time? Crazy girl!), BubblyShell22, Fantacy, Leo Oneal, Ramica, Lunar-Ninja, Tewi, Mikaela's Spade, Mewfem, Katana-Babe, **and **Jessiy Landroz,** _

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**Chapter 32 – Spelunking **

Beth had been more than just surprised about leaving the lair; she was terrified. It was only too bad that she hadn't felt this way long before she had climbed out of her friends' home, otherwise the girl could have simply dismissed the thought and gone back to sleep.

Instead, she now found her self lost within the maze of tunnels that made up New York City's sewer system.

"_What was I thinking_," she kept berating herself, having all she could do to keep from moaning aloud.

As she continued walking through the sewers in her attempt to find an exit, she found that sometimes the tunnel would descend, leading her further down into the depths of the underworld. She was hesitant at first to continue, but the hopeful thought of maybe finding a way out kept her going.

However, there were other times where her path would seem to rise up, as if heading towards the surface. She was always elated whenever that happened, of course. Yet, no matter how far Beth walked, the tunnel never seemed get her to where she wanted to be. It would only begin another series of descents or lead her to a central hub where she would encounter more tunnels, but which led off in different directions. Then, she had to decide whether to stay on her chosen path, or take a new one.

Slowly, and as her confidence waned, she began to second-guess her decision of sneaking out of the mutant's home. The full weight of what she had done nearly caused her to panic every time she thought about it. If it weren't for Splinter's teaching on self-control, though, she would have, too.

Still, Beth knew she wasn't at all brave, or even bold, at least…not as bold as she ought to be, considering where she was, now. Where she couldn't even enjoy going outside of her own apartment, to now find herself in a maze of tunnels – and underground, no less, was just foolhardiness, that's all there was to it.

And it seemed that hindsight mocked her with every step she took, as well.

Yet, here she was, traipsing through the sporadically lit tunnels of the sewer system like a complete idiot.

Again, '_what was she thinking'_ came to mind.

Other thoughts came to her as well, such as, "_What was that sound?"_

Given the fact that the underbelly of New York City had occasional lighting at best, with more shadows than what she was comfortable with, Beth scuttled quickly between the soft glowing ceiling lights. Where not all seemed to be working, it took great determination and desperation on her part to make any progress at all. There were just enough lights, though, to urge her onward, yet the numerous shadows and darkened areas made her nervous, giving Beth the distinct feeling that someone, or _something_, was watching her. It nearly unnerved the girl. Then, at one point, when rats scampered across the tunnel floor in front of her, she finally realized the source.

Regardless of species, it was easy to sense when someone stared at you.

Still, other than the really big one back in the lair, Splinter to be exact, rats were her least favorite animal, and the ones in the sewers did nothing to calm Beth's nervousness. She just didn't dislike them, she hated them, which was why she had screamed out the first time she had seen Splinter.

Nevertheless, for the moment, she had bigger issues to consider than a few rats...such as how to find her way out of the sewers.

With her growing trepidation, she finally discovered a recessed niche in the wall. Beth stopped to allow herself to rest within its sheltering embrace. She wasn't sure what it was used for, other than it was deep enough for her to ease inside. As she hid there within the wall's confines, shrouded in its inky darkness, she realized that her fear of spiders came into play about then. Earlier, she had found a stick lying along the side of the center culvert, where the water flowed. The branch, devoid of its leaves and two-fingers thick, was long enough to act like one of Don's staffs, so she retrieved it, just in case. At the very least, if she encountered any of the mythical sewer-gators, she would be able to defend herself. Of course, the more rational Beth knew that they did not really exist, but after spending several hours of wandering the labyrinth of tunnels, ones inner demons could dismiss any form of common sense.

In other words, by this time, the girl's imagination was going full tilt.

Just the same, Beth kept wondering why she had decided to leave the safety of the lair in the first place. Of all people, she would have thought herself incapable of such assertive actions. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she might have made a mistake. Just thinking about dying in such a god-forsaken place caused her to panic once again. Still, she concentrated keeping her emotions in check, using what Splinter had taught her. As it was, the girl did a valiant job of avoiding another catatonic episode. To do otherwise would have probably pitched her into the murky and dirty waters of the sewer, and it was that thought alone which helped to keep her focused.

She was smelly enough as it was.

Just the same, she raised her stick up and waved it above her head, allowing it to scrape along the brickwork sides of her niche, in an attempt to chase away her imagined spiders. Once she was satisfied that no arachnid worthy of self-preservation remained, Beth relaxed a little more.

After a while, she lost track of time. She didn't know how long she had been standing there, but Beth was certain that she hadn't gone catatonic yet. At least, with her current awareness she hadn't, where she didn't feel any strain along her back and legs.

Nonetheless, time in an environment without sunlight seemed to stand still for her. It was something that she found rather intriguing and just a little bit disconcerting. Although she much preferred the night, where she could go outside when the desire beckoned her, even then she had the moon and stars for company.

But here, for anyone to live within the bowels of the city and never, if rarely, feel the wind on their face, seemed unnatural. The fact that her five new friends lived in these tunnels, when they were originally creatures of the great outdoors, seemed a contradiction in terms.

In either case, her momentary rest allowed Beth to rethink her decision once again, quickly recalling the events in the lair that prompted her to leave.

Earlier, after everyone had retired to their respective rooms and after coming to her decision about her relationship with Leo, Beth had slept for only a short while before waking up. This time it was because of a dream.

The dream wasn't anything bad. In the dream itself, Leonardo had rediscovered his feelings for her and, in her dream state, he had proposed. Her dream-self was elated, with Donnie and Mike joining in with their own happy reaction. Raphael, however, was not pleased at all; in fact, in her dream, he was livid. Once more, she heard his words, '_of all the dumb luck'_. She replayed his angry outburst again, completely forgetting about his apology that followed later. She saw in her mind how he had stormed back into his room, as he had done after witnessing the infamous 'kiss'. She next saw a very disgruntled Splinter glaring at her and not at all pleased, either. In fact, the master's disappointment was what woke her up in the first place.

As she laid there in her bed and pondered the dream and all that had happened between Leo and herself, Beth finally concluded that she had to leave. As soon as possible, in fact, where she didn't care to wait until her friends took her home. She was afraid that if she stayed until the evening, when it was safest for the others to be out, there might be enough time for Leo to rediscover his feelings for her. Where she had already decided to try and let him go and forget about him, Beth knew that her rebuff would hurt him. Truth was, she didn't want to do that. To follow through with her decision would ultimately crush Leonardo, his feelings for her forever tarnished by rejection. What would she do, then? Stay against her will? To do so just wouldn't be fair to her or to Leo.

No, she decided, leaving before everyone woke up was her best option. The problem was she hadn't followed through with that thought, such as how to find her way out of the sewers. All she knew was, she had to leave and as soon as possible.

Nevertheless, in planning her 'escape', she remembered the sensitive nature of her new friends. Consequently, the girl went out of her way to leave as inconspicuously as she could. She knew their hearing was quite keen, but she was counting on the fact that they were all more tired than usual. In any event, it took her nearly five minutes to slide her bedroom door open, just to make sure that it didn't sound out and alarm the others.

Once she had the door opened, as quietly as she could, Beth worked her way over to where her clothes were. They had planned on washing them, but with all that had gone on, it was a forgotten task. Still, even over the course of a couple of days, the garments still smelled badly, even to her. But, Beth couldn't very well go back to the surface wearing only the over-sized shirt Splinter had loaned her. So, the girl quickly and quietly returned to her bedroom with the clothes, exchanging the oversized shirt for her soiled slacks and top. After shrugging into her hooded coat, she decided to wait in slipping her shoes on until she was out of the lair. That way, by walking in her bare feet, she would avoid making any unnecessary sounds as she made her way to the exit.

Using the same caution as when she slipped out of the bedroom, Beth soundlessly eased across the lair to the ladder. Fortunately, unlike the wooden stairs in her apartment complex, the metal hand rungs didn't make any noise, such as squeaks and groans. Consequently, she noiselessly scaled the ladder, as she ascended to the opening above.

Once she was out of the lair, Beth slipped on her shoes and then debated with herself as to which way to go. She stood there above the entrance to the mutant's home for the longest time. She was more anxious that one of them might discover her missing, before she had even taken a single step. Even then, she wondered if she was doing the right thing.

Still, if there was one fact that was true about Beth, once she had her mind made up, she followed through with it.

Once again, imagining the hurt and disappointment on Leonardo's face is what spurred her. She just couldn't bear to see him that way. It was better if he and his family woke up and found her gone. By that time, Beth hoped that she would have found herself already home and within the comfort of her more familiar surroundings.

With that in mind and her goal firmly decided, she began the task of finding her way to the surface. As she trudged through the tunnels, she wondered how, exactly, she would do that, where she had been unconscious when her friends had brought her back to their lair. Not ever having been in the sewers before, she was clueless as to how to get out. Beth could only hope that her travels would eventually lead her to an opening.

After wandering what seemed like hours through the maze of tunnels, the girl found herself standing in the little niche in the sewer wall. As she stood there and thought about her predicament, Beth knew without a doubt, that she was now lost and clueless as to where to go next.

"_Fine mess I've gotten myself into!"_ she grumped irritably to herself. She continued to stand there, in indecision, hoping desperately, now, that the rats she had seen were the only life forms indigenous to the sewers.

………………….

Raph had grouched along as Leo led the way. Mike and Don followed from behind, each observant of their environment and watchful for any sounds or signs of the Foot.

All of them were expert trackers, so it didn't take long to discover which way Beth had gone. Once they headed off in her direction, Leonardo automatically took up the lead. As he jogged through the sewers, with his brothers trailing behind him, the blue-banded turtle watched the trash-strewn floor of the tunnel, following along the girl's telltale path.

However, his brother in red was thoroughly disgruntled. Even though there was a time, not too long ago, where he was anxious to give the position of leadership back to Leo, to have it taken from him without even a cursory word was something else all together. His brother didn't even ask if he could, he just assumed his position and took over.

After being the acting chunin of the clan for several months, now, to Raphael it would have been nice and even respectful if his older brother had just given a kind word of consideration. But he hadn't.

Consequently, his lack of courtesy had ticked Raph off.

Now, he continued to mumble irritably under his breath as he and his three brothers hurried through the sewers.

Finally, at one point, Leonardo stopped and spun around, deliberately forcing himself into Raphael's face. His actions caused his brother to stop suddenly. For a moment, both glared at the other. Then…

"What in shell is going on with you, Raph? All you've done is gripe and complain since we started this hunt," he hissed. Leo might have suffered from a bout of amnesia and maybe his memories were slow in returning, but remembering to keep his voice whisper soft wasn't lost on the ninja. The need to be quiet was far too ingrained in him to do otherwise.

Raph finally sneered back at his brother and narrowed his eyes, countering the challenge in hushed discontent, "Seems _someone's_ memory is still lacking. Guess ya fergot that _someone_ else led for a while, when ya decided yer personal quest for _self discovery_ took precedence over _clan_ duties!"

Mike and Don looked furtively around, hoping that they were indeed alone in the tunnels and not on the cusp of encountering someone from the Foot. They stepped closer to their siblings, though, just in case the current mood between Leo and Raph turned uglier than it seemed to be.

In reply, Leo stared hard at Raphael for a moment. His brother's words rang far too true, and he couldn't rightly refute them. Finally, he relaxed a little as he replied defensively, shrugging as he did, "I…couldn't help that, Raph."

"Oh, I see; it's all right for you to go tiptoein' through th'tulips through New York City, but when I do it…" Raphael raised his arms in frustration, "it's not _allowed_." Standing straighter, the red-banded turtle declared, "In case you've fergotten, Leo-san, I was chunin for a while, a long while, an' I don't mind givin' the position back t'ya, believe me. But ya could at least ask first, know what I mean, outta consideration and respect?"

Leonardo had worked hard on his '_look'_, the one that he had honed to perfection and the one he always gave to his brother whenever Raphael challenged him. Yet, in that moment, it completely fell away. He hadn't even considered the fact that his brother might actually have had such expectations or had such responsibilities.

"Raph, I'm…sorry," he said as the weight of his actions pressed against him, "Honestly, I…was just doing what came naturally."

"Since when? Since before or after your amnesia?" Raph asked. "Leo, I've had to lead for the past several months, now. Have ya fergotten that?"

Scratching his head, the turtle in blue replied as he gave a soft chuckle, "Actually, I…ah…don't quite remember giving up my leadership. I…remember other things, but that's not one of them." Sighing, Leo nodded as he realized the gravity of the situation, "Well, considering what you just told me, maybe I _should_ ask if you're ready to let me lead again."

Raph slightly pursed his lips as he considered his brother's words. He studied him, somewhat surprised by Leo's willingness to meet him halfway. Usually, his brother was far too headstrong and arrogant to admit being wrong about anything. But if his new way of looking at things was a by-product of his recovery, then Raph would accept it, "Okay, yeah, ya can have the mantel of leadah back." He grinned then as he added, "An' if this is a samplin' of your recovery, I think…I can live with that, too." Then, pushing past Leonardo, Raphael declared, "Well, what're we waitin' for, let's go find that girl!" and charged ahead of his brothers through the partially darkened tunnel.

"Hey!" Leo complained in mock irritation, "I thought I was the leader," as he gave chase after his brother.

He could hear Raphael laugh maniacally in the shadows, "Only if ya can catch me, Leo-san!"

Then, it became an all out race as Leo took off after his brother, with Don and Mike taking up the rear, all worries about crossing paths with the Foot gone from their concerns.

After a while, and when they had expended their frivolity, the four brothers went back to lurking cautiously through the sewers once again. Causing him great concern, Leo soon discovered that Beth had taken a less traveled tunnel system, diverting away from the mutants usual route. The tunnel the girl took wasn't as explored, but it wasn't unknown territory either. One of the main reasons why the brothers had never ventured that way too often was because it led to downtown Manhattan. Mostly, the four turtles stuck to the less traffic-oriented sewer openings, having memorized the sewer system as one would the streets of a neighborhood. In short, they knew where each sewer opening led in those areas. Since they used the cover of darkness for most of their above ground foraging and patroling, their exits were always behind little used buildings or alleyways.

However, the tunnel that Beth had taken did not have such advantages and any one of the sewer shafts leading to the surface could exit her right in the middle of such well-populated environments as Park Avenue.

Leonardo wasn't the least bit happy about that, either, and neither were his three brothers, who trailed behind him.

"Good God, Leo..." Raph muttered in concern, "...if she tries to exit in the middle of rush hour traffic…"

"Yes, I'm fully aware of the dangers, Raphael," Leo grounded out.

"Hey, dudes, at the very least, we might get lucky," Mike cheered good-naturedly.

"How's that?" Don asked as he looked over at his brother, while the two of them followed Raph and Leo.

"Park Avenue Dumpster, man! I can just imagine the kind of stuff people living there throw out!"

Donnie's eyes perked up a bit at that thought, prompting him to call out, "Hey, Leo, maybe Mikey's right?"

"NO! We're not going dumpster digging, not until we find Beth and certainly not until after it gets dark!"

"Ah, man," Mike grouched, "an' I was so hoping we could get some good pizza, too, while we're here."

……………

Beth remained in her little niche for quite a while. She was seriously re-thinking trying to find her way back to the lair; only she was far too lost, completely and irrevocably unsure of which way to go.

"_Stupidstupidstupid!"_ she grumbled softly to herself.

Still, she couldn't just stay where she was forever; she had to at least try and find an opening. So, taking a deep breath, Beth eased her way out from the recessed area in the wall. She stood there for a moment and listened, looking left and then right, hoping that something would alert her as to where she was in the sewers. One end of the tunnel seemed brighter, where the ceiling lights appeared to be working better. The other end was dark and foreboding, easily discouraging any thought of going in that direction in the girl.

Then, she heard it. It was soft, like the distant sound of surf. Yet, she recognized it almost immediately.

Traffic!

Emboldened by the noise of civilization, she realized that it came from further along in the tunnel, where it was brighter. She then began walking towards the muted sound of rushing cars. Soon, she found that she was once again ascending, as if towards an access point. It was obvious to Beth, now, that there was an exit somewhere nearby; maybe even a manhole that she could crawl out of.

"_It might even be opened,"_ she thought to herself hopefully, considering how loud the rush of cars seemed to her.

As she walked, she soon heard a horn above her head, as if just beyond the ceiling of brick. It wasn't loud, but muffled, as if its sound had to filter through layers of dirt and the sewer tunnel. Still, it was loud enough for her to know that, wherever she was, she seemed to be right below a street. Now, she was excited! The farther along she walked, the closer the sound of rushing cars seemed to be. Her heart beat in expectation until she found herself near another niche in the wall; only this one had a light.

Beth looked up and saw that the manhole cover was firmly entrenched over the opening. It was then when she realized that the previous niche she been in, had also been a sewer shaft. Why she didn't hear anything, though, puzzled her. Still, she groaned. She knew that the lids were made of metal and were quite large. How she was going to lift it up was a problem, but maybe, just maybe if she called out, someone might help her. Then, Beth quickly dismissed that idea when she realized she would have to give an account as to why she was even in the sewers in the first place.

The last thing she would want to do would be to tell anyone about the turtles. For one thing, the whole idea sounded crazy and that alone could have her in a sanitarium before nightfall. The fact that she reeked as badly as any homeless person right now would only aggravate the situation. Moreover, she knew that there were laws about even being in the sewers. City-owned property didn't allow for trespassers, plain and simple.

Just the same, she had to get out; there wasn't any other choice for her.

"Maybe, I can lift it," she thought to herself, "maybe I can slip out without anyone seeing me?" she hoped.

Taking a deep breath, she reached up and grabbed the first rung. She tried to pull herself up, but it was obvious she lacked the strength. Still, she was far too determined to stop trying. Once again, she tried to pull herself up, but found her own weight too difficult to lift.

She stood there, now, somewhat frustrated. Looking back up at the beckoning disk of metal, she knew that this was her only viable option. Ever since leaving the lair, this had been the first and only exit that she had found. It made her wonder how her friends had even managed to get her into the sewers in the first place.

"Maybe there's another way, an easier way?" she thought, but then realized that, without knowing where it was, she would only become lost again, and there wasn't any way she wanted to continue wandering the endless labyrinth of sewer tunnels.

Consequently, she was not going to give up, not yet, anyway. Just as she grabbed onto the rungs for the third time and as she _finally_ managed to pull herself up, a hand quickly wrapped around her mouth, securing her silence, while an arm grabbed her around her waist.

As whoever had a hold of her pulled her back down into the sewers, Beth tried to scream out, but found her voice as muffled as the cars above her were. She then began kicking and lashing out with her hands in desperation and fear, trying to free herself.

However, the hand around her mouth and the arm around her waist were far too strong for her to fight.

Then, despite Splinter's tutoring about having self-control, Beth soon found herself falling into the familiar abyss of unconsciousness.

Once again, she had gone catatonic.


	33. Wait Until Dark

**_Disclaimer _**– _Well, gee, one can get really tired of repeating the same ol' thing. So, I'll just do it the Raph would. (Rein looks over at Raphael, sees what he's doing and what he's recommending Rein to do, then she realizes she really can't do that, so…) Okay, taking back control, I've decided to just say, nobody's mine in this story other than Beth. Enough said._

_Be expecting an official TY from me with chapter 33 reviews through that new feature Fan Fiction included with each story review that comes in. That's right, folks, you can now reply individually to every reviewer! Just explore your reviews as they come in and you'll see the reply back addy. Cool, eh? See Home Page for more details. _

_As a side note, Fan Fiction has stated that any individual 'review thanks' in the body of chapters is prohibited, not sure if that would include simply naming the reviewers, too, like I've been doing lately. So, to play it safe, I'm gonna just use the new feature. Just the same, ya'll know who you are, right? Well, more importantly, I do and I really appreciate all of your comments. _

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**Chapter 33 – Wait Until Dark**

The moment they heard someone grunt, they melted deeper into the shadows, all the while continuing to edge silently towards the noise. As they kept to the darker side of the sewer tunnel, their weapons were ready, just in case. Yet, all four held their breath in anticipation, their senses keen to their leader's next command.

When the grunting suddenly stopped, they stopped, too.

As they waited there, with each brother quietly and slowly releasing their breath, they looked towards the far end of the tunnel where the lighting was better. It was from there where the sound had been coming.

Suddenly, the grunting noise began again, causing three of the four brothers to hesitate before resuming their march.

The fourth, however - the one in the lead, did not hesitate, but began to step towards the origin of the sound once more. He was careful, silent with each step. Methodically, he shortened the distance between him and the source of the grunting. Where the area ahead was softly lit, contrasting the darker part of the tunnel where he walked, he couldn't see anyone. Just the same, Leonardo was certain that someone was there. He knew that, whoever it was, they might be hiding inside the sewer alcove some fifty yards away along the far right wall.

As he heard another grunt, its sound echoing sharply against the brick-lined tunnel, Leo's eyes snapped towards the hollow in the sewer wall ahead of him. Following the grunt, the click of nails against metal came to his ears. With Leo's keen understanding of sounds, he knew that fingers were now working desperately to find purchase on something, probably the access ladder. The effort almost sounded desperate to him, in fact, as the noise repeated itself in quick successions. Yet, to Leo, it seemed as if the person was having difficulty with the task.

For a moment, Leonardo hesitated slightly, waiting and wondering. He cocked his head a little, to gain better reception. He then heard something that sounded like shoed feet, with said feet dropping and then slapping against the concrete floor in the alcove. It was certain to Leo that the person had failed to gain ground on the ladder and had lost their footing. Leonardo was sure, now, that whoever it was, they were attempting to climb out of the sewers.

Suddenly, a sigh and a groan echoed out from the niche, telling Leo that whoever they were, they were becoming frustrated, too.

However, the blue-banded turtle also recognized that the sound wasn't male, as much as it was female and, in that moment, Leo knew the person in the access shaft was Beth.

After an hour of searching for her, he felt complete relief that the hunt was finally over. Fortunately, where she seemed firmly entrenched within the crevice, she was unaware of his presence. Still, even if she had taken a quick look into the tunnel, Beth still wouldn't have been able to see him – or his brothers, for that matter. Skilled in the art of ninjitsu, they were currently one with the shadows, a mixture of odd shapes and forms replicating much of what Beth had already seen during her exodus from the lair.

Just the same, realizing where they were under the streets of New York City made Leo anxious. West Fifty-Seventh ran straight above him, as well as the main sewer line that he and his brothers were in. Leo knew that Fifty-Seventh was a very busy thoroughfare, too, packed with taxis, buses, and cars, and all traveling in a mad rush to their appointed destinations. Although he highly doubted the girl could even lift one side of the sewer lid, Leo was still afraid that, if she began calling out for help, people topside might hear her. Despite the distant roar of cars and the muffled noise of blaring horns, all it would take would be for one person to be in the right place at the right time to sound an alarm.

Although he was certain that Beth wouldn't give away his clan's secret existence, Leonardo highly doubted that the authorities would let her return to her apartment, not after emerging from a city-owned and controlled sewer system.

With his clan's and the girl's personal safety his main concern, Leo did what he felt he had to.

Without warning, Leonardo sheathed his swords, and silently charged ahead of his brothers towards the access shaft in question. Without a sound, he moved to where the girl was and with such speed and abruptness, that his brothers stood stunned in his wake. Finally, though, Raphael quickly recovered and charged after him with equal speed. He knew only too well how Beth would react with such a surprise encounter, and he alsp knew that Leonardo was clueless about how that would go, too. Forgetting what had happened before regaining his old memories, Leo only understood that Beth suffered from some sort of 'malady', something that caused her to 'lose focus'.

In any event, before Raphael could catch up with his brother, Leonardo had already slipped into the alcove and had grabbed Beth, pulling her free of the ladder. With his one hand firm across her mouth while his other arm encircled her waist, he held onto her with very little trouble.

Nevertheless, Beth still tried to scream, even though her assailant's hand muffled her attempt. Unable to break her mouth free, she then flailed her arms and legs as she tried to defend herself. However, in the next moment and just before Raphael reached the sewer access and his brother, the girl suddenly went limp in Leonardo's arms as she passed out.

As Leo turned around and stepped out into the tunnel again, revealing the girl in his embrace, Raphael knew immediately that Beth was unconscious. She was flopped forward in Leo's arms, while her head listed to one side, as her arms and legs dangled limply, like a rag doll's. Although she had her coat on, Beth hadn't yet employed the hood, which allowed her brown hair to fall haphazardly around her face.

"Geeze, Leo…what'd ya do t'her?" Raph asked in concern, as he quirked his head to look at Beth's condition.

Leo tried to defend himself, "Hey, it was either that or…"

"Dude, you knocked her out?" Mike interrupted as he joined up with Raphael, his eyes wide with surprise as he looked at the unconscious girl in Leo's arms.

"I _didn't_ knock her _out_!" Leonardo reiterated, and too loudly, too. He checked the tunnel instinctively, aware that anyone from the Foot might be patrolling nearby. Nevertheless, he had been all too mindful of the fact that the girl's truncated screams were also too loud, loud enough for anyone to hear who happened to be nearby. Just the same, Leo explained quietly, gritting his teeth in irritation, "I was afraid if she started yelling for help, someone topside might hear her, okay?" He then adjusted the girl in his embrace, taking his free hand and bringing his arm underneath her legs. Now, as he cradled her, Leonardo looked into Beth's face. With the lighting above softening her features, he mused contritely, "I…didn't realize she would pass _out_, though." he stated simply. Sighing as he shook his head, "Sensei said something about a malady?"

Donatello, who arrived at the same time as Mikey had, explained, "Beth goes catatonic, Leo, whenever she's stressed or surprised," and he added dryly, "Seems you've done both to her, bro."

Chuckling, Mike added, "Well, let's look on the bright side, guys; at least she won't be giving us problems taking her back to the lair!"

Raph smirked, then, at his youngest brother and nodded in agreement, "Yeah, guess yer right 'bout that, Mike." He then looked back over at Beth again, "She's gonna be pissed, though, when she wakes up." Raphael glanced once at the sewer alcove, "She was pretty close to finding her way out, too."

As the foursome trudged back through the tunnels towards their lair, Leonard insisted on carrying the girl. He had felt badly for initiating Beth's reaction and decided he should be the one to do the honors. Where she was light enough, it was an easy carry for him. As he walked along and as he further studied the girl's features, a gentle warming rose up within him…and he smiled.

………….

Beth felt as if she were having another one of those dreams, where someone was carrying her. As her mind began to wake up, she distinctly remembered her travels through the mostly darkened tunnels. Then, a picture of a sewer opening came to her, with the lid of a manhole cover looming enticingly overhead. She remembered staring at it and wondering if she would be able to lift it, but then decided it was worth a try. Beth recalled leaping and grabbed onto the first metal rung of the access ladder, then straining as she attempted to lift her body up to grab the next one. In her mind, she could almost feel her hands grasp desperately at the metal bars, too, trying to climb up the ladder. But then, she found her hands slipping against the smooth, wet surface of the iron rungs. Nevertheless, Beth knew that she had to reach the sewer lid in order to go back home, that was what her memory told her. Then, as she lost hold of the bars, she dropped back down to the concrete floor of the access shaft. Beth made another attempt, endured yet another failure, and she then recalled almost giving up, but decided on trying one more time.

However, the memory of what had happened next, before she could execute that third attempt, jerked her back to the waking world.

The moment Beth snapped her eyes opened, she found herself in inky blackness. The smell alone told her that she was still in the sewers, but the lack of lighting told her she was in a darker part of the system, one where the overhead lighting no longer worked. All she saw was pitch black. This did not seem familiar to her at all.

Yet, what grabbed her attention the most, though, the instant she became aware of her surroundings, she knew that someone was holding her.

She couldn't tell who it was and she rightly didn't care, because the moment she realized her situation, she screamed. Just as she did, though, the arms holding her tightened up and effectively kept her from freeing herself, despite how hard she flailed around in their arms. She vaguely heard someone tell her to hush, but she was in panic-mode, now, and she refused to be placated.

"Let me go, Let ME GO…HELP!" she yelled as loudly as she could.

Immediately, a leathery hand clamped over her mouth, effectively stifling her words as she continued screaming. Beth then felt the person stop walking, but when he did, she suddenly sensed others nearby, as well. Beth began to panic, now, but in doing so, she also tried to recall Splinter's words about self-control. She knew that if she blacked out again, Beth was certain that whoever had her would take full advantage of her. Why he hadn't already done so mystified the girl, but Beth wasn't going to dwell on it, not when she could make it difficult for him.

The moment she realized that her arms were free Beth fisted her hands and launched a volley of hits at her 'assailant', screaming at the top of her lungs. In that moment, the hamd slipped off her mouth as she felt her first few strikes land effectively along what appeared to be his head. Yet, as she continued to bash furiously and yell at whomever it was who had her, she heard him cry out, "Ow, hey, _quit_ it."

Beth knew that voice; she had heard it before, and it caused her to stop her attack. However, before she had a chance to figure out who it was, the one holding her spoke again, this time more quietly, "_Beth_, it's me, _Leonardo – be quiet!_"

Grateful that it was Leo and not some pervert, Beth wrapped her arms around his neck. Burying her face into him, the girl sobbed from relief, apologizing as she cried softly, "I'm so sorry, Leo, I…I didn't know…it was…you."

Leo smiled and said as he whispered, "Don't worry about it, Beth; I've been hit worse than that." He allowed the girl to cry just a little, though, and after a moment, he said to her, "But you have to be quiet, now, okay?

Beth pulled away, releasing her arms from around his neck, as she asked between hiccupy sobs, "Wh...wh...Why?"

"SHhhh…" another voice piped in and then Raphael whispered, his words full of concern, "yer gonna bring the whole friggin' Foot clan on top of us if ya keep blubbering' like that!"

"The Foot? What's that?" the girl asked hesitantly.

"Long story, toots," Raphael replied softy, sternly adding, "no time to tell ya, but ya better keep yer yap shut, 'kay?"

Beth hunkered deeper into her benefactor's embrace, shrinking away from Raphael's abrasive words.

"Hey, Raph, knock it off, she doesn't understand, all right?" Leo hotly exclaimed, his own voice barely audible.

"Well, if she keeps cryin' an' talkin' the way she's doing, she'll know soon enough!" was his brother's hushed retort.

"We've been all through these tunnels, Raph, and there hasn't been one sign of…" Leo suddenly went mute, and the moment he did, Raphael followed likewise. Mike and Don clustered closer to their other two brothers, all four of them silently edging up to the sewer wall.

Beth felt Leo's embrace tighten even more. It was obvious to her that he was nervous and concern; but about 'what', she didn't know. Then, quickly remembering what Raphael had said, something about The Foot occupying the sewers, Beth began to panic just a little. Although she hadn't a clue who these 'Feet' people were, if her friends considered them enemies, then that was enough for her to know that they were dangerous. So far, Leonard and his family had been kinder to her than her own species, not giving her any reason to question their integrity.

Their enemy would therefore be her enemy.

As she kept silent in Leonardo's arms, she thought she sensed movement from one of his brothers. Then, in the blackness of the sewer tunnel, someone pressed against her on the opposite side from how Leo held her. Beth stiffened slightly in his arms and she had all she could do to keep from yelling out in surprise. Yet, it was then when she realized it was Raphael. It was obvious to her, now that he was trying to get close enough to say something to his brother. Barely audible, she heard Raph order, "Stay out of it, Leo; protect Beth," and then he dragged his next set of words, "do – not – en - gage!"

Leo's chest swelled then, as if in defiance, causing the girl to wonder if he would comply or reject Raphael's request. However, in the next moment, Leonardo seemed to relax, apparently giving in to his brother's command. With her head resting against his shoulder, Beth could feel Leo nod, as if it were possible for Raph to see him, and maybe he could, given the fact that the turtles were used to the darkened environment of the sewers.

Without saying a word, Leo suddenly backed up and allowed Beth to slip out of his arms. The moment she was standing again, he took her and gently placed her between himself and the sewer wall. "Stay here with me. Whatever I ask you to do from this moment on, do it without question, okay?"

His voice sounded oddly disembodied, where she couldn't see him. Still, Beth nodded and then she felt the softest brush of his hand against her cheek as he stroked it. She had been trembling, but now the touch Leo gave her assured Beth that he would not let any harm come to her. Then, as he turned his back to her, Beth reached out for him, grabbing his arm, "I'm…afraid," she whispered.

Leo turned around and touched her face again, saying confidently, "No need to be, Beth, because I'll be here to protect you," and then she heard the soft scrap of metal against leather as Leonard unsheathed his twin katana.

Very soon, Beth knew that she would find out why Leonardo had to protect her. She could only hope, though, that whatever happened, she would have enough presence of mind and enough self-control to avoid going catatonic.

"


	34. A Battle Royal

_**Disclaimer -** Well, I forgot to add the disclaimer to this chapter when I first uploaded it. Blame being away for so long managing 'other things'. If you want to know what 'other things' I'm talking about, then go to my profile page to find out. It'll be the first thing I have there. _

_Otherwise, if you're inclined to, leave your calling card once you're done reading this chapter. I'd love feedback on this puppy, pro or con._

_Be blessed and thanks for reading!_

**Chapter 34 – A Battle Royal**

As she stood hard against the sewer wall, dark had a whole new meaning for Beth. Never had she ever been in such a place so empty of light before. What was it she had heard said… that, physically, darkness doesn't exist; that instruments can't measure darkness and what does exist in various situations and degrees, is only the complete absence of light?

If that were true – and it certainly made sense to her – then this place, this tunnel, was the most lightless environment she had ever experienced. It almost seemed suffocating.

Nevertheless, knowing that Leonardo stood just a few steps away, his close proximity gave Beth a small bit of courage. She could feel his presence, her personal space protected by his bulk from the cool air of the sewers. As the gentle breeze coursed its way through the tunnel, it buffeted against him, spreading out and around, thus creating a void that encapsulated the turtle and the girl. It encouraged Beth that he was close enough to protect her, if need be. Had she a mind to, Beth knew that she could have reached out with one hand and easily touch the back of his carapace.

Just the same, the girl's mind turned to other matters. As Beth wrapped her arms protectively around herself, her lightless surroundings gradually made her feel more and more vulnerable. She didn't have a clue what was going to happen, or where the other turtles were – other than Leo. For that matter, she didn't really know what had caused them to become defensive in the first place, except for what Raphael said about the Foot. She knew about her friends' training, about their martial arts, but before this moment, she didn't know enough to understand just how and why they did what they did.

Now, however, it was all beginning to make sense. The sword she found in the alley, the men in the black pajamas she saw with the police, before she discovered Leo, all of this told Beth that Leonardo and his brothers were more than just mutant turtles living in the bowels of New York City.

She knew now that they were warriors.

What Beth also finally understood was that they had enemies, enemies that could very well consider her as such and, thereby, have enough excuse to harm – or even _kill_ her.

In that moment, the girl truly wanted to be home, certainly before this gang, the Foot, found out about her. As the intensity of Beth's desire to return to her apartment grew, she suddenly felt a familiar sensation. It was the one indicator that if she didn't get some measure of self-control, she would most likely faze out once again…and now, more than anything, Beth needed to remain conscious.

But then, Splinter's words came back in a rush, "_You need to relax your mind, Miss Beth, let go of your worries, just let them drip away from you as water. Focus on something - a sound, an object, or a smell. Focus your mind on these things...focus your thoughts... your heart..."_

The more she thought about his words, the more she felt a calmness wash over her, a new familiar sensation that only her brief sessions with the aged rat had given her. Beth leaned on the trust she had for Leonardo to protect her, to advise her in what to do if the need arose for her to act. She focused on his proximity to her. Then, she felt the firm, stable – and now comforting – brick at her back. The roughened texture gently reminded her that, despite the intense dark of the tunnel, its wall would not waver in stability, no more so than Leo would.

Yet, as the seconds ticked by and without anything happening, Beth wondered if it was possible that Raphael had been mistaken.

"_Maybe he only thought there was someone…"_ she wondered, but– in the next moment – the abrupt and distinct sound of metal clanging against metal suddenly reverberated and echoed through the sewers. "_Or, maybe he did hear something,"_ Beth groaned to herself.

"Heads up, bros!" Mike's voice cheered enthusiastically, almost ghost-like within the intensity of the pitch-black tunnel, "Dancing in the dark…" 'Thwak' "…brought to you by…" 'Thwak, thump'…"Four Ninjas and a ….OW!"

"Shut the shell up, Mike!" Raphael growled, "and just fight, will ya!"

"Sheesh, Raph, watch where yer stepping,"

"I was."

Beth wanted to laugh, but she tensed instinctively as she heard the scuffling of feet and the grunts of physical exertion from up ahead. It was obvious that Raphael, Mike, and Don had engaged what had made them defensive in the first place. The sounds of metal chaffing metal, and then wood against flesh, came too easily to Beth's ears, alerting her that not too far away, a battle raged. Amazingly, though, other than Mike and Raph's comments, the weapons' noise, and a few grunts - where it was obvious someone was receiving the business end of several well-placed kicks, the silence of the sewers remained uninterrupted.

Nevertheless, the girl was glad in that moment for darkness. How her mind would react to witnessing a fight worried Beth greatly, and she hoped whomever the attacker or attackers were, that they hadn't yet sensed her presence.

Then, she sensed Leo change positions as he stepped away, the gentle breeze now falling easily against her. So far, it seemed most of the action hadn't quite reached them, but now – with Leo moving further from her – she began to panic. Beth next heard his swords as they cut through the air, a high-end 'ching' following quickly, as he met his adversary's challenge.

"Don't leave me!" she cried out, her fear overriding Leo's direct request to keep silent. However, as her words echoed softly within the tunnel, she clamped her hands over her mouth in response.

Yet, it was too little too late, for she heard someone yell out, "Get the girl!"

It was then that she felt strong hands grab her arm and before she could call out for help, Leo whispered close to her, "Get down, now! Don't move, don't raise your head, stay against the wall and keep yourself as small as possible!"

Just as she obediently collapsed to the floor and huddled along its edge next to the sewer wall, Leonardo quickly twisted away from her. In that same moment, she heard the sound of a sword bite into another, as a second one just like it – Leo's other katana - sang out in a similar manner.

Then, it seemed as if all hell broke loose.

Beth cowered in fear, huddling on the ground, as she tried to be as small as possible. She could hear the scrambling of feet nearby, seemingly desperate to find purchase. In the darkness, she heard the occasional splash of water, the slap of wet feet, as they echoed menacingly all around her along the concrete floor of the sewer. The number of feet confused her as to where Leonardo was to his opponent. How many there were, Beth couldn't say, but her mind told her 'too many' for her to feel safe.

She then heard the groans and short muffled cries of attack, deafening the silence of the once noise-less fight. The 'oomph' of someone receiving yet another kick – more than likely to the midsection – seemed far too close. Then the concussion of something or someone falling hard to the ground near where Beth huddled, startled her. Yet, not a sound she made, for she was afraid to breath, afraid to make even the tiniest of noises. In fact, it was a miracle the poor girl hadn't gone catatonic.

Twice and nearly scaring her to death, she heard something metallic scrap angrily against the wall above her head. She ducked further down, nearly forcing her face into the damp and dirty concrete sewer floor…but she had little concern for such things. Listening to the sound of swords as they slashed against the wall, she heard them drag horizontally along its length, causing freshly dislodged bits of mortar and brick to rain down upon her. Beth whimpered in fear and covered her face as the debris pelted her backside.

Yet, through all of this, the girl remained conscious and completely aware of everything going on. It was exhilarating and disappointing for her, because, for once, Beth wished that she could indeed go catatonic and be completely clueless to her situation.

In the distance, she could hear the other turtles do battle. Mike seemed chatty and apparently enjoying the row. He would catcall and tease whomever it was he fought against, challenging Raphael to the number of hits as the fight wore on. Raph, in kind, replied his rebuttal, threatening his brother with impalement and other forms of torture if he didn't quit talking.

Don, on the other hand, remained mute, and it was clear to Beth that he, like Leo, took his part in the sortie more seriously.

Still, the combined sounds of metal and wood, coupled with the muffled war cries, made it nearly impossible to tell who was who and how many fought against her friends. It was enough that they were further away from her than Leo's assailants seemed to be.

Then, almost as quickly as it had started, the fight ended. The sound of running feet slapped hurriedly against the damp concrete of the sewer floor as they raced past her, fading away as they seemed to distance themselves from where she was. It was obvious that someone had given up. Beth only hoped it was the opposing side and not her friends. Still, she highly doubted that Leonardo and his brothers would just leave her behind.

Shaking and trembling, now, with her breathing staggered and fast, Beth remained in her petrified huddle, terrified to move or even to raise her head.

A touch to her arm startled her, causing the girl to pull away and scramble backwards, only to come up short against the wall. She cried out in alarm, her hands shooting up in feeble defense, "Don't hurt me, please, don't hurt me."

Then, a welcoming voice, closer to her than she realized, eased her terror, "Beth, it's me, Leonardo, you're safe now."

If there had been light, Leo would have seen a wild-eyed girl emotionally collapse into a puddle of tears as Beth leaped up and flung herself at him. She wrapped her arms desperately around his neck, crying against him in near hysteria. As he picked her up, Leonardo cradled her protectively in his arms, offering soothing words of, "_It's all right,"_ and "_you're safe, now,"_ but best of all, "_they're gone, it's over."_

Beth could only sob with relief and pent up fright, trembling in her friend's arms as he turned to catch up with his brothers.

Raphael met him part way, asking in concern, "The girl aw'right?"

Leo nodded, saying, "Yes, but scared out of her wits."

"Best we get going," Donnie declared abruptly, "I don't think they're going to waste time getting back here with reinforcements and the ones we knocked out won't be out for long."

"Yeah, bro, heard one of 'em activate a homing beacon. Not sure which one of them did it, though. But it's too dark to start searching for personals." Mike announced.

"I agree," Leo concurred, "we need to hurry, before they send a tracker."

With that, the four brothers moved into the shallow water of the sewer system and began walking northwest against the current and towards their lair. The water effectively prevented any telltale sign of their passing, and they knew full well that their enemy would use any and all forms of technology to trace their steps. Trudging through the watery filth wasn't the most favored of methods to get home, given what lurked in the shallows. Still, despite the sounds of disgust from Mike and Raphael, it was the only way not to leave a track, with their need to get back to the lair spurring them onward.

Before too long, Mike had made a game of 'how high the splash', with Raphael his target. Not too long after that, Mike discovered new and disgusting ways of enjoying the culvert's water, as Raphael deliberately tripped, and then tossed his youngest brother into the drink.

The sound of "EWWW…YUCK…" echoed noisily through the tunnels, followed by a small chorus of "Quiet!"

A short while later…

"Hey, Mikey," a Brooklyn-esque voice called out.

"What?" Michelangelo grouched.

"You stink!"


	35. Opaque Transparency

_**DISCLAIMER – **Still don't own them. _

_Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed chapter 34. It had been a while since I last updated this missive and, to be frank, I had to re-read several chapters preceding 34. With this new one, I had to go even further back since I couldn't remember if Beth had learned about the turtles (and Splinter's) origins. She had, so I had to make changes – darn it. Ah well. If anyone finds a discrepancy or a plot hole at any point in time, feel free to let me know. It's hard getting back in the 'saddle' again. :0)_

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

**Chapter 35 – Opaque Transparency**

Maneuvering through the pitch-black tunnel and holding Beth securely in his arms, Leo silently traversed the watery sluice. The girl trembled involuntarily in his arms, the shock of her experience clearly overwhelming her fragile state. She cried softly as she huddled closely to him and couldn't help but think about the fight. It amazed her that she hadn't gone catatonic by now, yet even more so, she was impressed with how easy her friends had detected the people who attacked them. Beth was certain she hadn't heard a thing before Raphael sounded the alarm. Then, for these same friends to fight and defeat whoever it was who attacked them, and in such dismal conditions as complete darkness, greatly impressed the girl. More than that, though, it also caused her to wonder greatly about what these turtles – and especially Leonardo – were truly capable of doing.

In short, the fight had proved to her just how helpless she truly was – and now dangerous her friends could be.

It was also when she finally understood why both Leo and Raphael were so insistent about keeping quiet. Had she known such dangers existed under New York City's streets, she wouldn't have given a single rational thought about leaving the lair by herself. In hindsight, Beth realized her foolishness could have gotten her killed.

While Leo quietly led the way, he and his brothers kept on high alert, just in case a few of the Foot came back to ambush them. Bringing up the rear, Raphael kept both his sai at the ready, every fiber of his essence tense and itching to put one more soldier out of commission. In-between Raph and Leonardo, Mike and Don kept their weapons in-hand as well; equally aware of what their enemy was capable of doing.

Yet the longer and farther they walked, the more confident the four brothers were that the worse was over.

"Wh…who were…_they?_" Beth finally whispered through soft, hiccupy sobs, her arms wrapped securely around Leo's neck as he carried her. She took full advantage of his embrace, too; huddling firmly into his plastron as the turtle traversed the sewers.

"The Foot," Raph growled out low, his voice suggesting that he strode only a few paces behind her, "and try not to talk so loud, will ya?"

Now, Beth began to tremble more in Leo's arms, remember what Splinter had told her, about how they had been doing battle against this band of ninja thieves. A new fear crept up her spine, "Did…they see me?"

"No," Leo said, "Although we're well adjusted to the dark, the Foot are still human. They would have had to use infrared goggles to see as well as we do." Leonardo was thankful the gurgling noise of rushing water masked their sloshing – and their conversation. As much as he would have preferred Beth to cease her questions, he couldn't blame her for asking them.

However, another concern nagged at the poor girl, "Will…these Foot people be _back_?"

However, her question caused one of the others to sigh in agitation, "Oh, yeah," Raphael deadpanned, "like bad company, they'll be back, no doubt 'bout it."

Beth tried to squirm out of Leo's embrace, exclaiming in a hushed shout, "Iwanttogohome,now!"

"No," Leo said sternly, effectively keeping her in his arms, "you can't get down, now, Beth. We're walking through sewer water and I don't want you in it."

"Then, let me walk where it's dry," she begged piteously.

"No can do, sister," Mike chirped softly, sounding as if he was right behind Leonardo, "you'll leave footprints and that's one thing we can't allow."

"But how can they see them if it's so dark; I can't even see my own hand," the girl reasoned, positioning her hand in front of her for emphasis.

Don interjected, "What Leo said, about the Foot using infrared lighting. They'll use whatever technology they can and if they know we have a guest, they'll assume you'll leave footprints, which…is probably more right than not." Don smiled, although Beth was unable to see it, "No offense, of course. It takes years of training and practice not to leave a trail."

"Of course," Beth said sourly. She remained silent and grumpy for a moment, trying to figure a way to convince them to let her walk on her own, but – given their arguments against it - she finally gave up. Still, the girl tried to persist on one more issue, "Can you at least take me home, then?"

"Nuh huh," Don said, "Not until nightfall. We're too exposed during the day. Since the Foot was already down here in the sewers, they might have alerted plain-clothed lookouts topside, especially where they know we have someone who obviously doesn't belong here. It would make perfect sense to them for us to try and return you to your home."

Sighing and finally realizing the futility of her situation, Beth resigned herself to Leo carrying her. She had to admit not minding it so much, not where it was her friend, but – still – she would have preferred walking.

After a little while, Beth calmed down and relaxed a bit more. Tucking her head against Leo's right shoulder and with the rhythmic swing of his walk, she slowly closed her eyes. There wasn't much for her to see, not with how dark the sewers were. Between the veil of black, the comforting sound of rushing water, combined with the gentle rocking of Leo's arms as he strode along, sleep soon began to overtake her. Since the whole experience with the fight had exhausted the poor girl, it wasn't too long before Beth finally dozed off.

………………

Beth didn't know how long she had slept, but when she woke up, she saw the same dense blackness as before. It was obvious that they were still in the deepest darkest part of the sewers. Disappointment didn't even come close to describing how she felt. She was getting pretty tired of not seeing things.

Almost the moment that Beth awoke, though, Leo's voice suddenly broke the silence, "Beth, why did you leave the lair?"

She startled instinctively, nearly jumping from his arms, yet Beth easily detected the scorn and disapproval in his words.

"Hey, calm down," he whispered low, tightening his hold on her just a little.

"Sorry," the girl apologized and relaxed again in his embrace.

Leo repeated his question, more sternly this time, but Beth only shrugged in response.

"What's with the shrug, Beth?" he asked briskly, his words dripping with rebuke, "You had us all worried; can't you tell me why you left the lair?

Beth cowed just a little under his strict demeanor, tucking her chin stubbornly as she whimpered, "No."

"Why **not**?"

"Because."

Leo shook his head in frustration with the girl's lack of cooperation and walked on for a few minutes in silence.

As they executed a hard right turn, Leo and the others took about five paces and then stopped. They waited and as they did, Beth began to say something. In that same moment, she found Leo's hand quickly covering her mouth before she could utter a single word.

"Shhh…we wait," he breathed, so close to her ear that it tickled, causing the girl to shiver in response.

Beth's eyes went wide, unsure of why Leo would suddenly become overly cautious. After all, hadn't he just talked with her only a moment before?

Then, Beth had a horrible thought. Had Leo heard something? Were they being followed, and, if so, could it be one of those awful Foot ninja, sneaking back to try and hurt them again? Then, before panic could gain any ground on her composure, Beth felt a movement to her right, startling her and causing her to jump a bit, only – again - Leo breathed close to her ear, "It's only Don."

Beth heard a dull thump from in front of her, then a scraping of wood, and soon, a soft light gradually seeped into the little niche where they waited. It quickly became obvious that Donnie had opened a door. However, he only opened it wide enough and long enough for his other brothers to slip quickly through, with Don soon closing and the securing the door behind him as he followed suit.

Beth hadn't a clue beforehand how fast Leonardo, or his brothers, could be, but by the way he moved through the doorway completely astounded her. She had barely noticed the door and then the light beyond, when in the next moment, she was fully illuminated. It nearly took her breath away.

Certainly, her friends were the farthest thing from the common, everyday terrapin.

As Leo moved further into the tunnel, Beth looked over his shoulder, catching Mike's cheerful expression and noting Raph's less than happy face. She ignored him and saw Don as he easily caught up with them. Yet, as Beth stared beyond the turtle in purple and back to where the door should have been, she saw nothing but a collection of debris. Completely puzzled as to where the door had gone to, and wondering if maybe she had fallen asleep or had gone catatonic again, she asked quizzically, "Um…did I just dream it or did Donnie open a door?" she asked.

Leo chuckled, "Not telling; it's a ninja secret."

"Not fair," she grumped, looking one last time at the mysterious wall, "Maybe I'll need to know about that door."

"Or not," Raph cocked an eye ridge at her, "at least, not on my watch ya won't!" He worked his shoulders around as if releasing tension that had built up during their dark and treacherous trek through the outer sewer system. A few subtle creaks and groans sounded out in protest, promoting an unusually contented sigh from the red-banded turtle. He seemed more relaxed, now, and it caused Beth to wonder if maybe they had passed through some sort of security door, one that the Foot wouldn't find. Of course, it caused her to wonder why she hadn't seen it before – unless she had taken a different route when on her own in the sewers. Then again, she remembered how confused she had been a several points during her escapade. It wouldn't surprise her in the least if she had come this way, only to double back – which she did on a couple of occasions.

As she turned her head back around, she saw that the sewer-system they were currently in ran straight for about a hundred yards. Light illuminated the five travelers, but it also showed a tunnel in disrepair. Part of the sewer walls seemed to have decayed from lack of maintenance, allowing a small slide of earth here and there to impede anyone from taking the route more seriously, except for those needing such determents. Strategically placed wooden boards, obvious rescues from other locations, seemed set up at certain points to hinder further deterioration of the wall, yet applied not so obviously as to advertise their deliberate intent. There were piles of trash and other debris scattered throughout, effectively creating an obstacle course that if one weren't careful, they could easily stumble across.

As the four bi-pedal mutants easily skirted around these various distractions, they were mindful to leave as much undisturbed as possible.

"Kind of in a bad state of condition," she remarked casually about the tunnel.

"Deliberate," Leo only said.

"How come?"

Leo looked down at the girl and smiled faintly, "You don't want to know, trust me on that."

Raphael quickly sided up to his brother, "Hey, fearless, if she bolts again – and I'm not giving you any ideas," Raph eyed the girl with a meaningful glare before looking back at his brother again, "she needs to know not to come this way…it's for her own good, Leo-san; know what I mean?"

Leo side-glanced his brother, his jaw tightening ever so slightly, and then he sighed once, saying, "Yeah, you're right." He then looked at Beth as Raphael dropped behind him again, "Never come this way, ever," he paused for a moment before adding, "It's…booby trapped with 'things' best left to nightmares. We know where everything is, but if any of the Foot get in here, they won't and…neither would you, so…don't ever come this way, understand?"

Leo had Beth's full attention, her subtle nod of acceptance clearly defining how well she understood his instructions and warning. She was immediately glad that he still carried her and was eternally grateful for his determined stubbornness to do so, too.

Beth went back to observing the tunnel, acutely aware of Leo's implied wording, and wondering exactly what kind of armament would be the stuff of nightmares. Still, she couldn't help but note that this part of the sewers seemed drier and no longer affording the mutants the luxury of hiding their tracks within the waterlogged culverts, now nearly fifty-yards behind them. Then, again, considering what Leo had told her, they probably didn't have to worry much about anyone going through it.

Nevertheless, Beth could tell that water very seldom flowed down this end of the sewer system. Moreover, as Mike began whistling a little bit, it was plain to Beth that it was safe and maybe they were even close to home.

Leonardo still hadn't given up on finding out what he wanted to know, though. With his voice stern and direct, "Again, tell me why you left the lair. Beth, you now know that it was just luck you didn't come this way."

Fully appreciating what her friend was telling her, yet still mindful of her reasons for leaving, "I…I don't want to talk about it, is all," the girl insisted shyly, not daring to look Leonardo in the eye. She could feel his disapproval in his words, but to look at him full on, intimidated her greatly. She could sense concern, too, but there was just enough ire in his voice to warrant a less than cooperative response from her. Still, with all she had gone through and now where they were in some sort of 'armed' tunnel, she just wanted to get to the lair and to safety.

Leo narrowed his expression just a bit and thought about challenging Beth's response. She had caused him and his brothers a great deal of concern and worry; at the very least, she owed him an explanation. Nevertheless, as the girl began to tremble in his arms, Leonardo decided to keep silent. Berating himself for probably scaring the girl with visions of nightmarish weapons, Leonardo realized that maybe telling her about the tunnel wasn't the wisest thing, considering her tendency to blank out. Therefore, he would have to try a different tactic, where posturing himself wasn't going to work with her. He would feel just awful if Beth went catatonic because of him.

"Look, Beth, it would have been terrible if you had gotten hurt back there," Leo offered softly, "and considering where we're at right now and all…" he paused as he swallowed, "Even with the fight, I mean…we're good at what we do, and…well…things happen. Even when we're at our very best…I…I dunno," he sighed, "From what Father told me, you've already been through so much. I would just hate to have anything more happen to you, ya know?"

Beth nodded, but she still kept quiet. She truly hoped her friends did know the tunnel well, the thought of nightmarish weapons still fresh on her mind.

"I'm not going to get mad at you, Beth," Leo entreated quietly, "I just want to know…why did you leave the lair?"

Beth began to cry, now, and if Leo had the capacity to read her mind, he would have known how much afraid she was and, most especially, how contritely foolish she was feeling. Realizing he wasn't going to get any answers from her for the time being, he sighed and continued walking in silence.

Behind Leonardo, Don and Mikey talked quietly among themselves. As they trudged through the softly lit tunnel, Mike abruptly motioned to Don to pull further back, bringing a finger to his mouth to hush his brother's questioning. Raphael walked on ahead of the two, giving them both a raised eye ridge as he did, as if to say, "What's with you two?"

Mike shrugged and said softly, "Just talking, bro…need to ask Don about something 'technical'."

Raph muttered under his breath, "That's a first," and soon caught up to Leonardo.

Ignoring his red-banded brother, and confident he wouldn't be overheard, Mike whispered as he sidled up closer to Donatello, "Hey, Donnie, ya think Leo might be remembering Beth?"

Chuckling a little, Don replied, "Maybe, Mike, but, memory or not, he doesn't have to remember in order to like her, you know."

"Yeah, I know," his brother replied, "but," he glanced one more time at Leo before saying, "I kind of hope he does remember."

"Why?" Don asked as he quirked an eye-ridge suspiciously towards his brother, gingerly sidestepping a debris pile.

Looking up at Donatello, Mike grinned, skirting around the same bit of trash, "Cuz maybe Leo will be more interested in her than in making us do katas all day long! Ya know how he gets after a fight."

Don laughed and shook his head, "You know, Mikey, you're incorrigible."

"Yep, Donnie-boy, that's me…incarrig, ah…whatever it was you said."

A short while later and well after they had slipped into another junction of tunnels, Leo finally allowed Beth to walk under her own power. However, he kept alert, in case one of the Foot had succeeded in tracking them through the boob-trapped section of sewers. Leo always played it safe where it concerned his and his family's safety, despite their well hidden and security protected lair. To prove that point, he had one of his swords unsheathed, just to be cautious. He saw Beth's worried expression, so he explained, "Old habit of mine," and smiled a little.

Although the sword bothered her, Beth knew that it and its owner had saved her life not more than an hour earlier, so she tried to dismiss it, staying as close to Leonardo as she could. Still, seeing him brandish the weapon so effortlessly, as if it were only an arm or a leg, caused many questions to run rampant in her mind, such as, "Has he killed anyone with it?"

A shiver suddenly ran up her spine at that thought and Beth was thankful that darkness had shrouded the battle scene from earlier. It was possible he had killed someone even then and the thought terrified her greatly. As she walked beside her friend, once again, the girl employed Splinters lessons on self-control, reminding herself that Leonardo would never harm her, nor would his brothers. In just the short amount of time she had come to know them, they had proved themselves honorable – even Raphael.

Finally, as they arrived at the lair's entrance, Leo said, "Beth, wait here with me, we need to talk."

Shaking her head, she said, "I'd rather not, if you don't mind."

"I do mind, Beth. We need to talk, before climbing down to the lair."

"Look, I'm sorry about leaving, I really am…" Beth pleaded, but Leo interrupted her.

"I know, but…" he looked at her compassionately, "I want to know why. Please stay."

Raph maneuvered passed them, gave the two a quick once-over, and then eyed the girl, "Look, Beth, just tell 'em what he wants t'know, cuz personally speak'n, Leo ain't gonna give up until ya do." He smirked knowingly and then Raph leapt easily down through the opening and to the lair below. Mikey followed suit, grumbling about bugs, diseased riddled water, and wanting a hot bath, and then as Don began to position himself for his own decent, the purple-banded turtle looked over at Leo. He noticed his brother regarding Beth intently.

"Are you all right, Leo?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. Go on ahead," Leonardo directed, waving his brother off.

Beth turned around and stared at him. Despite her reluctance to telling him why she had left, she knew she deserved a lecture. She had been quite foolish for traipsing off on her own through the sewers. Considering all that had happened, or what could have happened, she couldn't blame Leonardo one bit.

Shrugging, Don said, "Don't be long, bro, Splinter's going to want a report," and then dropped down through the opening and out of sight.

Leo stood there, now, and looked at Beth a while longer. She fidgeted nervously under his stern gaze, glancing once towards the lair's entrance and wishing she were anywhere but where she stood. Then, she heard him ask, "Beth, I'll ask you again. I want to know why you left when you did…and shrugging your shoulders or not wanting to talk about it won't placate me, either."

Beth saw the determined expression on Leo's face and knew he was quite serious. "_Raphael was right; Leo's not going to give up until I tell him." _Still, she just couldn't tell him that it was because of _him_ she had left. How could she say such a thing, what would he think, then? And he was still looking at her, waiting patiently, if not anxiously, to find out why in the world she would leave the safety of the lair for the uncertainty and dangers of the sewers.

"I'm waiting," he muttered impatiently, folding his arms across his chest and raising one eye ridge.

Beth sighed and realized that, regardless of how much he wanted to know, she just couldn't tell Leo the truth, "I missed being home, is all."

Nearly laughing out loud, Leo scoffed, "Is that so…you missed your home so much that you deliberately sneaked out of the lair, but didn't think to even leave a note?" He shook his head sadly, "Then, to get lost and almost killed, and you expect me to believe you did it just to go home?"

"I wasn't _planning_ on getting lost!" Beth squared her shoulders defiantly, "I'm just…not that familiar how to get back to the surface is all." She looked away and realized too late that she had uttered what was probably the lamest comment of her life.

"Well, that's perfectly obvious!" Leo smirked, causing Beth to turn sharply towards him as her cheeks reddened considerably. He studied her and knew, between the blush along her cheeks and the dilation of her pupils, that she was not being completely honest with him. "However, 'missing home' isn't the real reason why you left, is it, Beth?" he finally asked.

"Of course it is."

"No, it's not."

"It IS, too!" Beth insisted.

"No, it's NOT!" Leo reiterated as he leaned forward for emphasis.

The two stood there and stared at each other, both determined and both equally stubborn. Finally, Leo sighed and said, pointing towards the sewers, "Look, I just saved your life back there, I've carried you through countless tunnels, trudged through filthy water, all to get you to safety, and the best you can do is lie to me when I ask you a question?" He folded his arms indignantly, "It's rather rude to lie to those who've done nothing but help you And DON'T tell me you're not lying, because I'm trained in the art of Ninjitsu and I can sense a lie with my eyes closed."

Beth swallowed nervously and finally concluded that, like it or not, she would have to confess. "All right, but just remember, you asked for it!" Beth looked away, swallowed nervously and finally mumbled, "I was afraid you would remember our friendship if I stayed any longer in the lair."

Leo quirked his head, pursing his mouth a bit in thought as he considered Beth's words. Nodding, he said, "Okay, but why were you afraid that I'd remember our friendship?"

Beth looked up at the turtle, her eyes sad and expressive, unsure if she should continue. Still, he wanted to know, so she said, "I realized that…if you did remember me," she quickly looked away, gulping a little, "that you might want me to stay, and – well…" she glanced once more at Leonardo and half-lied, "I don't know if I can live down here, is all."

And that was that; she said it, she told him, and now? Well, now she was certain he _would_ want her to go away, where she had all but insulted him and his home.

Unfathomed by her words, Leo chuckled, almost in relief, as he took a hold of Beth's hand, "And…"

Looking at him once more and ignoring the fact that he held her hand in his, Beth sighed and rolled her eyes, "Aaand…I didn't want you to risk getting discovered by visiting me when I go back to my apartment."

At this, Leo laughed aloud, chuckling deeply, as he remarked, "First, if you had succeeded in getting back to your apartment, what makes you think I wouldn't have followed you?" Beth hadn't considered that, that is if her surprised expression said as much. Leo smiled, "And, as far as getting discovered…_me_? Beth, I've been running all over New York City for years and – other than the Foot and a couple of other people – my family and I are virtually unknown in your world. If I want to visit you, you wouldn't have to worry about anyone seeing me. I practice the art of invisibility, I'm _ninja_." He squeezed her hand, then, and looked at her compassionately, "Beth, you worry about things you do not understand."

Beth shook her head and said, "Maybe I do, but, we can only be friends, Leonardo, can't you see that? We're…too different," She cringed, now, because it was only half true, she really didn't care about the dissimilarities, "For us to be more than that would mean…"

Nodding, Leo interrupted her, "I don't mind just being friends Beth, although I know what it would mean to be more than that. There are certainly differences between us, but as far as getting together as friends, there are other places to meet, to get to know one another, and safe prying eyes, too." He thought about April's place, the sewer access in the dead end alley behind the building, and knew it would allow Beth and him to talk and not have to worry about interruptions or people spying on them.

"I appreciate that, Leo, I really do, but…no, I think it's best if we decide now to just be friends. I'm…sorry," Beth turned away at that, unable to bear the questioning expression on her friend's face. She felt truly awful lying with the way she was doing, yet she had considered all the problems associated with such a relationship with this mutant turtle. Friendship would be the most she could hope for and even that caused her to worry for Leonardo's safety and well-being.

Leo could sense what Beth just said was anything but the truth, yet there was sincerity in her voice as well. He felt a sudden stirring in his heart that he had long ignored, long denied, and what had obviously been the source of his rebellion so many weeks and months before. Yet, he wasn't sure if the timing was right for either of them. Beth had issues, that much he realized, but maybe he could help her through these issues.

Then, another thought interrupted his wonderings, a more disturbing thought; what if his feelings were only a primal urge not based on whether he liked her or wanted to be with her? Leo considered maybe the act of saving Beth's life, of carrying her, of being so close he could have kissed her, all trigged some sort of inborn desire to seek a mate. The way he currently felt said as much.

Still, he felt drawn to her and he couldn't ignore that fact.

Leonardo knew that these were important issues that he had to sift through. Given his talk with Splinter, until he could determine his feelings and know that he wasn't becoming interested in Beth for all the wrong reasons, Leo realized he would have to let the girl return to her apartment unchallenged.

Despite her words, though, it was also perfectly obvious to Leo that there was more behind Beth's words than just her concern regarding the differences in their species and of his being seen. If anything, Leo could sense a strong attraction from Beth.

Still, despite how he felt, Leo only smiled as he entreated, "If you truly are uncomfortable with anything more than friendship, Beth," he bowed his head just a little, as he concluded, "I will be content with that."

Surprised with Leonardo's words - and maybe the day before she would have been glad for them - Beth was still determined to follow through with her plans. She had given much thought to her situation and considering her encounter with the mysterious attackers in the darkened sewers, it only added weight to her decision. The fact that to associate in any way with the turtles would include dangers she was ill equipped to deal with, truly frightened the girl. What if somehow the Foot found out about her relationship with the mutants, or, worse still, discovered how she felt about one of them? If the Foot were as evil as Splinter and Raphael implied, then what would stop these ninja thieves from using her to get to them?

Yes, indeed, Beth's imagination was running full throttle and if it weren't for her newly learned technique with self-control, she would have surely nodded off into catatonia.

"Well, guess we better join the others," Leo said, unknowingly bringing his friend out of her meandering thoughts. With one sweep of his arm, he invited her to climb down the ladder and into the lair, "After you, Beth."

As she maneuvered over the gaping entrance to the lair and then disappeared down through the opening, the blue-banded turtle sighed and closed his eyes, "_What am I going to do?"_ Leonardo muttered silently, "_I can't make Beth stay, but…I really don't want her to go home, either."_

Still, Leonardo knew that he had to let her go; even if he was certain it was something that Beth didn't want.


	36. Pronouns Not Allowed

_Disclaimer - E&L and Mirage still own the turtles. I only own the storyline. As for readers impatient for Beth to return to her apartment, that will happen in the next chapter. I have the darnedest time ignoring details and so have to follow the muses' leading concerning them. With that said, I want to thank all those who took the time to read and a special nod of appreciation to those who reviewed – you know who you are._ Chapter 36 – Pronouns Not Allowed 

Splinter seemed quite relieved once Leo had Beth safely inside the lair. As his son stepped off the last rung of the ladder, the rat approached them and took up the girl's hand in his, "My daughter, I'm thankful that you are well and in one piece." He then glanced over at Leonardo, "as I am for you, my son." Master Splinter then smiled hugely at first, with Leo bowing low before his father. As he did, the turtle flattened both hands together under his chin in traditional supplication.

As the rat's head bowed in reply and as both he and his son looked back up again, Splinter remarked pointedly to the girl, "Raphael has told me about your unfortunate meeting with our enemy. I wish to apologize," but then his expression fell away to one that seemed more serious. "However, considering our hospitality to you and helping you recover from your injury, I am at a loss as to why you would leave when you did."

Beth swallowed nervously from the rat's pointed question and cowed just a bit under his stern gaze. Unable to answer him, she remained mute and submissive. She thought that Leonardo had been strict with her, but feeling the disapproval from Splinter seemed worse.

"Nevertheless, as you found out, it was very dangerous for you to leave without an escort." Splinter then studied the girl for a long, pregnant moment. "In either event," the rat entreated, allowing a small smile, "Let me make you some tea and then we can _talk_." With his hand still grasping hers, he gently guided her towards the kitchen. Beth didn't have any choice but to follow, since Splinter's firm grip around her hand told her there would be no arguments to the contrary.

As Splinter led her towards the room in question, Beth wondered if the rat was going to lecture her, as Leo had earlier. She certainly deserved it, she thought sullenly. At any rate, Beth was beginning not to like lectures, especially about matters concerning her heart. She could only hope the rat would question her actions rather than her feelings.

As she looked back at Leonardo, expecting him to follow along, she found to her dismay that her friend wasn't following. Instead, he went over to join his brothers on the couch. It was then Beth realized that she would be on her own with the aged rat.

Once more, she swallowed nervously. "_Yes," _she thought sorely, "_I'm definitely getting another lecture."_

As for Leonardo, he knew that 'tea' and 'talk' meant confronting issues. Regardless of Beth's guest status, he was certain his father wouldn't waste a cup of tea on just idle chat. He did feel a bit sorry for the girl, though. Leo knew that chats with his father were oftentimes very revealing. Considering what Beth had done, and then what she tried to hide from him, Leo was well aware the talk might become a defining moment for her.

Thirty minutes later, as they sat around the kitchen table and after a few pertinent questions from the master, Beth finally confessed her reasons for leaving. She apologized for doing so and admitted that it was a careless act. This seemed to placate the rat a bit, but she was still careful to repeat only what she said to Leo. As she finished, Beth hoped she had convinced the wizened master as easily as she had her friend, yet there seemed to be a lingering doubt etched upon the rat's face.

Consequently, the girl waited for the anticipated challenge.

However, instead, Splinter just sat there silently for a moment as he casually studied the girl. Sipping from his cup of tea, the rat hummed a little, as if in thought. Then, while holding his cup between two paws, he smiled faintly and quietly commented, "I suspect there are other reasons why you left when you did, my dear, and what prompted you to do so without our assistance." He noted a sudden blush glow along her cheeks. "But for now," he carefully sat his cup back onto its saucer, "your explanation and apology will suffice."

Splinter then leaned back in his chair and, once more, looked at the girl.

Beth inwardly cowed, and then grumped to herself. The affect the rat had on her unnerved the girl, and it seemed to be happening all too frequently for her liking. She tried not to shy away from his observations, yet Beth found that she couldn't quite help herself. In the next moment, she dropped her gaze and looked down at her hands - and then cringed. She knew _Splinter_ knew she wasn't telling the whole truth. Had she looked up in that moment, she would have seen small knowing smile gracing the rat's muzzle, confirming her suspicions.

Splinter then changed the topic, "It is still a few hours before nightfall, child, and I would not feel right having you return home in unclean clothes." He stood up, pushing his chair back and causing it to scrape softly along the concrete floor of the kitchen, "Perhaps you would like to take advantage of our laundry facility."

Beth almost sighed aloud; quite thankful he wasn't going to push the issue. She suddenly realized, though, her clothes were still quite smelly, and even more so from her trek through the sewers. "Yes, I think…I will. Thank you."

Splinter bowed his head once again, "My pleasure, Miss Beth,"

A few moments later, she found herself back in Leonardo's room. Once she had the door closed, she changed back into the over-sized t-shirt Splinter had loaned her, and then gathered up her soiled clothing.

After Beth came back out from the bedroom, Don showed her to the laundry area, which was nothing more than a little niche in the wall just beyond Master Splinter's own sleeping quarters. Much to Beth's delight, she discovered the washing machine and dryer were not as antiquated as she had feared, but were rather modern in design and function. "They seem so new; how…ah…did you get them?"

Don smiled a little and said quietly, "We had a friend who…wasn't using them anymore. She let us have them," and then he went about showing Beth how to operate the machines. When he was done, Don left her to her task.

Of course, Beth knew very little if anything about their friendship with April O'Neal. After the woman's untimely death, many of her possessions came into the mutants' care and, as a result, greatly improved their lifestyle. Besides the washer and dryer, they had inherited the refrigerator, too. Initially and before he disappeared, Casey had assisted in getting various conveniences down to the turtle's subterranean home. It was soon after that, though, when he had vanished and seemingly without a trace, too.

As Beth sprinkled the laundry powder into the washer and over her clothes, she thought a little bit more about the events in the sewers. The more she did, the more she realized just how dangerous her act had been, and the more foolish she began to feel. It wasn't that Splinter hadn't impressed this fact upon her, but she had been so mortified by his confrontation, she had tried to shield herself from the guilt it created.

By the time she had the washer started and as she thought about Leonardo and Splinter's lectures, the last place Beth wanted to be was in the living room with them. Consequently, she had a great need to hurry back into Leo's bedroom and out of sight. It had become a sanctuary for her, much the way her apartment had become.

Of course, considering what Leo said to her before climbing down into the lair, there was another equally good reason for not joining him in the living room. In short, she didn't want to change her mind about not staying. Being so close to Leo might very well entice her to stay - and Beth just didn't want to take that chance. She had made up her mind and she was determined to follow through with her plans, no matter what.

In contrast, although he was disappointed with her absence, Leo understood Beth's need for privacy. While his father had talked with her, Leonardo could sense how embarrassed the girl felt and her mood only intensified later on when she went about getting her clothes in the washer. The way she hurried to return to the safety and comfort of his room seemed all too obvious to him. Consequently, Leo tried to focus on the television program he and his family was watching. He did do his best to ignore her, but Leo still found it most difficult.

When the show concluded, Mike suggested a game of Scrabble to pass the time away until they could take Beth home. As they set up the board, Leonardo once more found his attention drawn back to his bedroom where Beth was.

"Maybe Beth would like to play?" he softly wondered aloud.

"Let her be, my son," Splinter suggested evenly, "I believe she has much to think about."

"Yeah, I…guess she does." Leo agreed, sighing, and then tried to focus on the game.

With each participant picking an over-turned letter-tile, Mike whooped when he discovered he had picked an 'A'. He would go first. Splinter's blind pick found him second in playing order, followed by Raphael and then Donatello.

Raph sniggered when Leo found himself last in the line-up. Usually, the blue-banded turtle would have complained a bit about being the 'tail' in the game, if only in fun. Still, his mind was elsewhere, and so he just sat there complacent.

"Hey, _fearless_," Raph teased, "you seem rather '_distracted'_."

Leo looked up, almost startled, "Ah, no, just…thinking."

"Ah huh, sure, bro…" Raph winked slyly at his other two brothers, offering a subtle nod towards the subway cars. They smiled in return, but caught a warning glance from Splinter, effectively squelching any snide comments from them.

After all of them had picked their seven tiles, the game began.

Mike immediately set about placing his first word on the board, lining his tiles up horizontally from the free spot in the middle. When he slapped the last letter down, he announced, "Speech."

Master Splinter added three of his tiles under the 'S', and said, "Sell". Raph grumped, however, aligning his tiles horizontally into one of the E's in Splinter's word, "See," and then muttered, "...hate this game."

"You don't have t'play, bro, if it's too complicated for you." Don chided gently as he smirked, with Mike chuckling softly across from him.

Raph leveled a glare, "You challenging me, Don-san?"

Placing a delicate hand to plastron, Don replied as he grinned, "Me, challenge you to an intellectual game of words?"

Narrowing his eyes, Raph growled, "You're on!" and snatched up two new tiles to add to his remaining five.

Much to Raphael's dismay, Don quickly added all seven of his letters to the 'H' in Mike's original word, announcing triumphantly, "Epiphany!"

"EPIPhany?" Raph growled out.

"It means…" Don began to explain.

"I KNOW what it mean, pinhead."

Ignoring the insult, Don then gloated, "And I get fifty extra…"

"And we all know the extra point system, Donatello, so just shut the shell up!" Raph grumped and then slouched into the sofa. He tried to ignore Don's smirk, Splinter's disapproving glance, and Mike's giggles, preferring to study his tiles in the hopes of coming up with a good, high point word. He sighed dejectedly, though, when he realized once again, his chance at beating his smarter brother would have to rely on luck. By the looks of it – and as far as his tiles were concerned – he had very little going for him.

When it was Leo's turn, he studied his tiles for a moment and compared them to the words already in play. Then, he made his decision. Placing four letter tiles on the board, he positioned them horizontally, bridging the letters 'L' at the end of his sensei's word to the 'Y' in Don's. Leo then sighed impassively as he declared his contribution, "Lonely," and went to grab up four more overturned tiles to replace the ones he had just used. As he sat the new ones in his holder, he sighed – again - and glanced once more at his bedroom.

The moment he heard his brother's word, though, Mike slapped a hand over his mouth to suppress his giggles. Don's eyes went slightly wide and Raph smirked. Splinter furrowed his brow as he studied his son's contribution and then looked up at him and twitched his whiskers in mile amusement.

Just the same, there wasn't even a hint of expression on Leo's face to say he understood his Freudian slip. It was obvious to everyone the blue-banded turtle was on remote, where his mind definitely was not on the game. Although he had used only those letters available from the seven he blindly picked from the initial pile, the subliminal message behind _his_ word seemed positively hilarious.

Michelangelo smiled and glanced mischievously at his other two brothers. He wiggled his eye-ridges and then took his second turn. He then placed just two tiles from his seven to Leo's word, adding to the one available 'L'. With his tiles working vertically down the board, Mike kept a finger on the last one, but then looked up as if half-expecting a comment or two.

Although he couldn't help but smile, Don had to challenge, "Can't use pronouns, Mike."

"Michelangelo!" Splinter corrected sternly.

"Sorry, Master," Mike shrugged and giggled, but tried to feign innocence, "kinda forgot about the – ah – _not_ using pronouns."

Raph rolled his eyes and chuckled lightly, "Yeah, like we believe that one, Mikey."

Leonardo suddenly woke up from his thoughts and then glanced back at the board. He squinted at the word for a second, trying to figure out what it was that had caused such commotion. Then, like the rising dawn, he understood.

Shooting a warning look at Mike, Leo hotly declared, "Am not!" and which resulted in more light chuckles from his brothers, with another 'cease and desist snort' from the rat.

Mike, his task now complete, went about removing his letters and replacing them on the board under the 'N', once again in Leo's word.

Raph protested this time, "Hey, Mike, you lost your chance, no seconds."

"As long as I keep a finger on one of the tiles, bro, it's not a done deal yet." Mike replied defensively.

"He's right, Raph, the rules say…" Don began, but found himself rudely interrupted - again.

"I KNOW the rules, brainiac."

"Raphael, I do not like it when you insult your brother," Splinter admonished sternly.

"Sorry, Sensei," and then Raph went back to his brooding again.

Mike then straightened up proudly as he announced, "NEO!"

"Hey, we said no PRONOUNS!" Raph hollered.

"It's not NEO as in Matrix, Raphie, it's _neo_, as in 'new'!" Mike grinned wide.

Raph eyed the word, "Isn't 'neo' then supposed to be hyphenated?"

Don remarked, "Not always and in Scrabble, it's allowed."

Grumping some more, Raph muttered, "Figures," and sat deeper into the back of the couch.

However, Leo – once again distracted by 'other things' - sighed quietly and wondered if maybe he had let the issue go too soon between Beth and himself. He was surprised with how his feelings had shifted, where only hours earlier, he was so adamant about not getting involved in relationships. As he recalled his father's words about the natural need for finding a mate, and how unwise it was to assume that they would not have such concerns, the turtle wondered where everything had changed.

He thought back to protecting Beth in the sewers, fighting for her and protecting her, then, carrying her to safety through the tunnels. In the end, it seemed as if these experiences had pried open the locked door of his heart. He suddenly realized in that moment his growing need for her affections - and now he couldn't help but think about her.

"Maybe…" he thought to himself, "I should have reasoned with her, begged her to give me a chance, even challenge her excuse for leaving."

It was obvious to him that Beth felt the same way as he now felt for her. Yet Leonardo also knew, despite his lack of experience with such matters, forcing anyone into a relationship was unwise. It was like chasing mice, you would never get one.

In any event, Leo chose to remain where he was and seemed to care little about the fact that he was losing the game.

As for Raphael, he knew that, once again, he would lose to his genius brother, as would everyone else. During one interval, the red-banded turtle snorted in disgust. As he looked at his remaining three tiles, he wondered just how in the world he could make words using Z, Q, and J. He took one last look at the board for any sign of hope, and then leaned hard into the back of the couch, huffing as he did. It was then when he chanced a quick look at the car where Beth was.

It was also when Leo glanced up and caught him looking

Raph caught Leo's gaze, giving his 'fearless leader' a scowl.

Leo flinched a bit, yet decided to ignore the challenge. Still, Leonardo could sense Raphael's irritation and maybe, considering what he had said to him the day before about Beth, it wasn't too surprising.

"_What does he expect me to do, anyway? It's not as if Beth wants to stay. And with the way Raph postures himself, scaring her to death, he's just as much out of luck as I am!" Leo_ grumped silently.

Yet, with Beth returning to her apartment, Leonardo knew her absence from the lair would weaken any hope for either of them to gain her affection. Still, if it was what she wanted – even though Leo was sure he knew differently – then he would do everything in his power to make it happen.

When Beth's clothes were ready for wearing, she quickly gathered them from the dryer and hurried back to Leo's room. Closing the door, she quickly changed out of the t-shirt and robe and into her now-clean pants and blouse. As she stood there and contemplated what next to do, the girl realized that staying in seclusion until it was time to leave was probably rude and ungrateful. She had already caused enough problems as it was.

Plus, she was bored. With nothing to do but sit on the bed, she was getting a mite restless. Although she was still embarrassed about the problems she had caused by leaving the lair, she had rediscovered her need to socialize. Her association with Leo and his family had shown her just how lonely she truly was. "_Of all people to make me understand the kind of life I've been living."_ she thought ruefully.

Her mind now made up, Beth knew what she wanted to do. Staying in Leonardo's room alone just wasn't working for her anymore. So, she took a deep breath for courage, squared her shoulders, and – after sliding the bedroom door open – walked out into the lair. She glanced once at the living area and saw Leonardo – his attention keen on her entrance. She blushed and smiled shyly, but then headed towards the kitchen first to make her cup of teaNoticing that they were playing a game of some sort, Beth thought maybe she would join them. At least, she knew she might avoid any uncomfortable lulls and situations.

As the girl slipped into the kitchen, Leonardo stood in attempt to join her there. However, Splinter's raised paw effectively instructed his son to sit back down. Reluctantly, the turtle complied, yet his eyes never left the girl in question as she took up the teakettle in the kitchen and filled the container with tap water.

With the game completed – and Don declared the winner – Mike collected all the letter-tiles and plopped them into their velvet bag. As he began shaking them for the next round, he smiled as he noticed Leonardo watching Beth. The orange-banded turtle subtly nudged Don and nodded towards Leonardo. Donatello smiled knowingly when he caught the expectant expression on Leo's face. However, before either of the two brothers could continue with their silent communiqué, they heard subtle clearing of someone's throat – and turned to see Splinter staring at them.

Don smiled innocently and straightened the board a bit on the coffee table. As for Mike, he continued shaking the tiles, with just a little more enthusiasm, and trying to act nonchalant.

Raphael, however and despite Splinter's request for Leo to remain seated, stood up and headed over to the kitchen. The rat's ears flattened slightly and he tried to say something to divert his son, but changed his mind. He knew that saying anything to Raphael would be a waste of time.

Leonardo, however, did try to say something, but – once again – his father gracefully intervened.

"Let him go, Leonardo," the rat said quietly to his son.

"But, Sensei, what if he…frightens her again?"

"He will not and she has learned something about self-control. Sometimes, Leonardo," Splinter advised gently, "you cannot always rush in and save the day." The rat glanced once towards the kitchen and the girl, "Beth will soon return home and she will need to learn how to adjust to her life once again."

As Beth waited in the kitchen for the water in the teakettle to boil, a noise from behind caught her attention. Startled, she turned quickly around only to see that it was Raphael.

Turning halfway back towards the kettle, Beth managed to keep one eye on the turtle. She watched curiously, as Raph retrieved a can of soda from the refrigerator. Closing the door and quickly popping the can's tab, Raph hesitated when he noticed Beth looking at him. He gave her a quick wink before taking a long pull of the chilled beverage. Closing his eyes as the soda coursed down his throat, he almost seemed to sigh in contentment.

When he finished swallowing and after wiping his mouth dry with the back of his hand, he looked at her again. Then, almost as if in answer to an imagined question from her, "Trying to cut back on th' beer."

Beth smiled, but before she could say anything, the whistle from the kettle called her back to her tea. Ignoring Raphael, she poured the steaming water into her cup, fished a teabag out from its storage container, and plopped it in. Beth watched as the vaporous tendrils of steam rose from the hot liquid. She closed her eyes, picking up her cup, and allowed the fragrant aroma of spices to envelope her senses. As the light mist warmed her face, she easily noted a distinct flavor of licorice. She sighed and smiled, thenrealizing she had never cared much for tea – until now. "_I'm definitely going to have to add it to my shopping list,"_ she quietly mused to herself.

After a moment, Beth sensed that Raph was still in the kitchen. Realizing she probably owed him an apology and a word of appreciation for his part in her rescue, she turned back around. Simply, she offered, "Thank you."

Quirking an eye ridge and looking her over, Raph grumped and finally questioningly, "Ah, fer…what?"

Shrugging one shoulder, Beth replied softly, "For…rescuing me."

Chuckling, Raph deadpanned as he swaggered and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, like it had noth'n t'do about keeping the shell on _my_ back, it's all about _you_, isn't it?"

"What?" Beth straightened up defensively, surprised with his outburst, "It's not like _that_, but – well…" she trailed off, saying with some uncertainty, "I…I don't know what would have happened to me if…if you and your brothers hadn't been there."

"If ya hadn't left the lair like ya did, Beth, we wouldn't have had to rescue ya from the Foot!" he quietly growled, leveling his eyes at her, his thoughts raging - "_The nerve of her, to take off the way she did, endangering herself and us, and then act as if she were some damsel in distress!" _Her impulsiveness grated on Raphael and he glanced once towards the living room. Seeing Splinter currently talking with Leo, with his brother's attention distracted from Beth, and with Mike and Don setting up the board for another game of Scrabble, the turtle in red glared at Beth again. He then stated softly, "It's just a good thing th'Foot don't know what ya look like," he then sighed, "Otherwise, you'd never be allowed back home…I, fer one, wouldn't let ya go." The turtle straightened up, now, indignant to the girl's attitude, his brow furrowed in anger, yet still mindful to keep his voice low, "Sheesh, Beth, all ya had to do was wait until mornin', or even get one of us up when ya wanted t'leave, that's all ya had t'do." He took another swig of his cola, swallowed hard, and then chided, "But, no, **you** couldn't wait, ya had to go _out_ and nearly get us all **killed** in the process – as if our lives hasn't had _enough_ of that already."

Huffing a bit and leaving a rather stunned Beth in his wake, Raphael swaggered out of the kitchen. With can in hand, the turtle headed for his room, grumbling as he swaggered along.

Beth could only sigh, realizing in that moment how right Raphael was. She _had_ acted impulsively. Realizing she owed more than Raphael an apology, Beth quickly took her cup of tea and headed for the living room. She soon found herself standing before the other three turtles and Splinter.

Gaining their attention, Beth straightened and then declared, "I'd like to apologize for my…_actions_."

Don and Mike smiled, with Don muttering, "S'alright, everyone's fine" and Mike shrugged and gave her a disarming smile.

The girl continued, "I never thought your enemies would be in the sewers." Her hands began to tremble just a little, now, as she briefly remembered the encounter. Still, she pushed on, "Had…I any idea of the dangers, I wouldn't have…left. I'm…sorry." Her eyes filled with tears as she swallowed back a sob, trying her hardest to control even something as simple as crying. "I just panicked, I guess; I wanted to go home, and…" Beth suddenly glanced down at her teacup and realized that she was shaking even more, now. _If only I can control my physical as well as my mental reactions,_ she moaned inwardly

Despite his father's earlier request to stay seated, Leo stood up and attempted to comfort the girl. As he tried to walk around the coffee table, Splinter also stood up to bar his way.

"Please, Leonardo," the rat implored, giving one stern look that had his son reluctantly sitting back down again.

However, Leo couldn't help the disapproving glare he gave his father and half-expected correction.

To his surprise, his father chose to ignore it, with the master turned towards Beth. She looked up at him, then, and appeared ready to apologize even more, but Splinter quickly raised a paw to stop her, "It is more our fault for not being completely honest with you, Miss Beth. I believe that had we told you how volatile our existence was you would not have left the lair. Yet – to be honest, child…" the master smiled compassionately, "I was concerned our way of life would have traumatized you even more…considering your obvious _affliction_."

Smiling, Beth nodded, "It probably would have, Master Splinter. However…" she smiled shyly, "I would like to thank you."

The rat's ears perked just a bit, "For what, child?" 

"For teaching me about self-control. I would have surely suffered another attack, more than I did, had you not taught me about focusing my mind." Beth licked her lips, chuckling lightly, "I feel as if I've just learned how to drive, the kind of feeling one gets with that kind of freedom."

"Where I know nothing about driving a car, Miss Beth," the rat said dryly, a small smile playing along his snout, "I will have to take your word for it."

Beth chuckled, as the rat's smile grew wider. Despite his serious and sublime demeanor, it was obvious to Beth the master had a wicked sense of humor.

Suddenly, Mike spoke up, changing the topic entirely. "So, Beth," he asked, grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat, "you up for a rousing game of Scrabble?"

………………….


	37. Leaving But Not On A Jet Plane!

**_Disclaimer _**– _What is this I see, a paycheck for me, with the turtles' names and – wait – papers saying that I own them, now? This must be a dream… Rein wakes up - shoot, it was a dream. Darn._

_Anyway, it's been a while, I know. Please forgive. But, I had to take a break and do something else that was different. As for this chapter, it seems I'm back – at least for now._

As for the Scrabble game, one of my reviewers wanted me to add a bit about Beth playing against the TMNT's. And, per her request, I honored it the best way I could, without making Beth too much of a Mary Sue. I hope I didn't over-do it.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

**Chapter 37 – Leaving – But Not On A Jet Plane!**

A few hours later and after a few more rounds of Scrabble, all four turtles now escorted Beth through the sewers and back towards her apartment. It was a quiet march, where they kept as silent as possible. Nightfall, especially in the sewers, guaranteed more dangers with the chance increasing of crossing paths with the Foot. Where it was necessary and especially when they had to ford any watery areas, Leo would carry Beth, but for the most part, she walked under her own power.

As she traveled along,Beth thought back to the one game of Scrabble she had won. It had surprised her 'competitors', too, for some odd reason. That is, until Mikey told her Donnie and Splinter usually won. It was then she understood their shock. It wasn't that she had used big complicated words, either, but she had used words involving letters with more points and that seemed to be the winning factor.

When her father was still alive and before her problems had started, on many occasions Beth often played the game with him. He had told her then that the smaller words carried more merit, especially if she could include the higher point letters. It was a strategy that he had used in his law firm, too, using the minute details of an assignment to win whatever case he was working on.

"It's always in the details, Beth, not in the bold and obvious facts," she remembered him telling her.

Of course, after that one win and with a more determined Donatello pitting himself against her, Beth didn't have the remotest of chance of winning the next couple of games. She understood then how bright the purple turtle was, for he had caught on to her strategy very quickly. Why any of his brothers would even bother playing with him confused her,but she also understood that playing a game was often more important than just winning at it.

Of course, she had already discovered how competitive they were and how easy it was to goad them with a challenge.

Still, coming in second behind Donnie – and just a single point ahead of Splinter – Beth understood the importance of that placing. She had even caught an approving smile creasing Leonardo's face, too.

Nevertheless, that was hours ago, and now they were maneuvering through the tunnels, a quiet as a breath of air.

As they traversed the sewers towards their exit point, Beth recalled her departure. That was when Splinter had assured her, if she felt inclined to do so, that she was most welcomed to visit them again.They exchanged phone numbers too, a fact that surprised the girl. She hadn't even known that they had a phone in the first place.

in any event, Beth expressed her gratitude for their care, "Considering my rudeness in trying to leave earlier, I am very thankful for how you took care of me," she gulped back her emotions, as she said, "I don't deserve it, all things considered, but I do appreciate it!"

"My child," Splinter remarked, gently taking her hand, "it is not a matter of deserving it, but a matter of need, and earning such is not a condition of our looking after you." It was then Splinter suggested to Beth that once she recovered from her injury, she should seriously consider having one of his sons teach her the art of self-defense.

"It would give you a counter measure to defend yourself, if the occasion arose," the rat explained, adding, "and it would greatly improve your confidence, as well."

However, almost immediately, Splinter saw the girl pale and so he added and a little sternly, too, "Why bother controlling your mind, Miss Beth, when you can learn to control your body, too?"

Beth did find wisdom in the old rat's words, but for now, all she wanted to do was to get back home.

"Maybe once I'm recovered, Master Splinter, maybe when I get back to doing routine things again…," she had explained.

Splinter shook his head sadly, "And that is precisely why you need to begin something _new_."

Beth sighed at the memory of the rat's turned head, his own smile charming her, as he remarked, "You cannot convince me any more than telling me the sun is purple that you enjoyed living the way you did, before finding my son, Leonardo."

Beth felt defeated against such logic from the wise creature and she had to agreethat he was indeed correct.

So, she acceted a twice a week visit from Donatello to assess her healing – which was going along quite well, actually – and as soon as Don gave the okay, one of his other brothers would begin instructing her in martial arts.

That alone made for a rather uncomfortable situation, where it was obvious that two of Splinter's sons would be more than willing. Raphael's raised eye ridges and Leo's soft smile told the old ninja master that he very well might have opened the proverbial 'can of worms'. He had sighed then, too, almost as if tired from trying to out-wit his sons.

Either way, the moment the reality of what he had said occured to him, Beth remembered the soft groan from the old master. "How do I get myself into these things?" he had muttered sheepishly.

For such a wise sage, Beth thought Splinter was quite amusing.

Now, as the girl and her friends walked through the semi-darkness of the tunnels, she instinctively grabbed onto Leo's hand. With what she had gone through earlier with the battle, the darkness brought back the sounds and the fear, causing the girl to tremble just a bit.

Leo felt her tremors and squeezed her fingers reassuringly. He whispered softly,"It's all right, Beth. Trust me; we'll know well in advance if any Foot are close by."

"How…how can you just – _know_?" she asked just as quietly, mindful of keeping her voice low. Yes, they knew even back before that battle, but how they knew wasn't a question she had asked then. The fight had traumatized her far too much for her to have such a thought. For Beth, at the time it was enough to be safe – and in Leonardo's arms!

Shrugging, Leo looked away for a bit as he and his brothers walked along. Then, turning back to her, he said softly, "Maybe it's our instincts or possibly the mutation, but we have a _sense_ about these matters." He paused and smiled, "Our Ninjitsu training has certainly heightened our natural abilities, though, giving us insight to our surroundings, but, still, we just 'know' when someone is lurking about."

Overhearing their conversation, Donatello eased upalong Beth's other side as he said quietly, "We grew up down here, Beth, so we're quite familiar with every sound, every turn in the sewers, even… the smells." He smiled disarmingly, "So, anything or anyone who isn't indigenous here will stand out. That's why we were able to discern the Foot's presence after we found you."

Mikey chimed in from behind, but a little louder, yet still keeping to the rule of 'running silent', "Yeah, Dudette, they still don't get it; they try to be sneaky, but ninja or not, they can't match our sharp sense of smell…"

"Or hearing…" Raphael added, sounding less glum and grouchy than he had been earlier. Considering when his attitude changed, it was obvious the prospect of Beth learning self-defense had intrigued him. He knew that he and each of his brothers had personalized their own style of fighting, their own brand of martial arts, even though the foundation of all four were firmly entrenched under their father's teachings. Raph knew, as well, that it would be to Beth's advantage to learn from each of them. In that moment, he felt something he hadn't experienced in a very long time…a chance for friendship, not love, but true, honest-to-goodness, friendship.

Now, Raphael smiled, if onlya little, but not so much as to give himself away. Most of it was internal, but it still made his steps lighter as a result.

As they approached their exit point, Raphael went on ahead. He slipped into an alcove, similar to the one Beth had tried to use hours earlier. He quickly jumped and climbed up the ladder that led towards the sewer access hole. Beth soon heard the unmistakable sound of metal as it scraped softly against the street above. Then, Raphael slid the lid way from its resting place. Because it was nighttime, only the dark of evening flooded through, yet not so much as to compromise the softly lit interior of the tunnel. A moment passed and then…

"All's clear," came Raphael's gravelly voice.

"Okay, Dudette," Mike exclaimed, "time t'go home," and motioned the girl towards the alcove.

Beth, although anxious to return to the familiar comfort of her apartment, hesitated ever so slightly.

Leo asked, "What's wrong?" 

Shrugging, she explained, "Last time I tried, I couldn't climb the ladder." She felt her side a bit, "The wound isn't as sore as it's been, but I'm afraid of doing any more damage." She shrugged, "Then again, it didn't seem to stop me earlier, did it?" Beth then looked at Leo and gave him a sheepish grin.

Leo smiled, "Just take it easy, Beth. I'll be right behind you, don't worry. You were probably tired and stressed anyway and that _can_ make a difference, and your injury might have prevented you, too."

"I was kind of panicky earlier, when I tried to find my own way out; kind of forgot about my side, actually," she allowed.

"Fear uncontrolled can make us do a lot of things, Beth," Don explained softly, "A lot of injured people, when they're afraid or panicky, will accomplish things that normal circumstances would prevent them from doing."

Leo motioned her towards the access shaft, "After you, Beth."

Nodding, the girl inhaled deeply but then suddenly turned towards Don and Mike, "Thanks…for everything."

"Hey, we're not leaving you to do this alone," Don grinned, and then walked over to the niche in the wall where the ladder was and where Raphael waited above. Don motioned as he waved his hand towards their exit.

With a little assist from Leo to get to the first rung, surprisingly, Beth managed the ladder just fine. Her side did hurt a little bit, but not so much as to keep her from climbing. It also helped to know that she wasn't alone, too.

Before long, she found herself standing outside and above the sewers for the first time in three days. When she couldn't find Raphael at first, Beth quickly looked around and then began feeling a little panicky. She was about to call down through themanhole to alert the others, when a movement to her right caught her attention. It was then she noticed the red-banded turtle.

Raphaelseemed to be reconnoitering the alley. He visually scanned the area from where he stood, inspecting the alleyway from one end to the other,and then easing inalongside a building bordering the byway. With help from the moonless night, the buildings that ran along each side of the alley provided adequate shadows for her friends. The backstreet itself stretched straight away and crossed several other side streets for about a half-dozen blocks.

Catching her gaze, though, Raph motioned for her to do as he had done, so Beth hurried over to him. However, once she stood next to the turtle, she couldn't help but throw her head back to look up at the cloudless sky.

Even though the buildings andcity lights compromisedher view of the heavens, it was obvious to her that the sky was crystalline clear tonight. To her delight,Beth could still make out a few stars.

How she had missed them! It was one of her favorite things to do when she was living at her apartment, to star gaze late at night from the rooftop.

Then, she turned her attention back to her friends, watchingas Leonardo slipped out from the sewer opening. He quicklystepped away andover to where she was, thereby allowing his other two brothers to do the same. It was then that Beth looked around the alleyway.

She didn't immediately recognize where she was at first. This worried her until she thought they might have exited as close to her apartment as possible. The lighting wasn't as intense and it was possible their exit point had been deliberate because of that alone. It was obvious they would know the darker more shadow-rich alleyways.

She then wondered how she was going to get home and with such a strange escort as the turtles provided.

When Don and Mikey finally emerged from the sewer opening, Mike quietly replaced the lid as Don joined up with Beth and the others. Then, once the cover was in place, Mikey went over to where everyone else waited.

"So," Beth asked, "is this where we say good-bye?"

Leo looked at her curiously, "Here?"

Nodding, Beth uttered, shrugging innocently, "Yeah?"

Shaking his head, Leo chuckled a bit, "I don't think so, Beth; I'm not leaving you to walk home by yourself."

"But, won't someone see you?" 

Raph's voice piped up, "Not the way we go," and headed up the alleyway towards the closest fire escape.

Mike wryly remarked, a glint of mischievousness in his voice, "Since we're not using our trench coats and hats tonight, peoples, we're taking the…_expressway_," and moved on to follow his red-banded brother.

Don looked at Leo and, with a raised eye-ridge, suggested, "You'd better explain things to her, bro," and then the purple-masked turtle went and quickly caught up with the other two.

Leo watched his brothers work their way effectively through the shadows and towards their point of assent. He sighed and knew that, yes indeed,Beth definitely needed to know how they were getting her home.

With the soft scrape of metal whispering through the alley as Raph brought the fire escape ladder into play, Leo looked at Beth and said, "Um…forgot to tell you that…well, when we don't use our disguises…" he nodded towards Raph, who now ascended the fire escape ladder, "we travel by rooftop."

Beth followed Leonardo's gaze and lookoed over to where Raphael and the other two were. She saw Don and Mike as they began their climb, with the one in red leading the way along the fire escape. He was already up passed the second landing. The ease in which each turtle traversed their vertical assent, though, told Beth that all of them had a lot experience with climbing fire escapes.Yet, despite the fact the stairs were constructed of metal, the trio of terrapins never made a sound. It was almost poetic with the way they moved.

However, as Beth's gaze followed along Raphael's intended path and with said metal ladder leading straight up the side of the eight-story building and to the roof far above her, the girl's mouth dropped just a bit.

Turning towards Leo, she shook her head, her face clearly shocked as reality settled in, "No…_way_…you _HAVE_ to be kidding me?"

Leo could only smile and shrug in response, "'Fraid not."

If it were not for her determined resolve to defeat her malady, Beth thought for sure she would have passed out right then and there!

_A/N- Yes, not very exciting - other than maybe for Beth's fear of heights. But, I have to segue somehow into the next part and - well - there it is, such as it is._


	38. Shadow Jumping

_**Disclaimer – **Yes, I know, I've taken longer than I should have since my last update, but I ran out of steam for this story. Had to do 'other' things to give my muses a break. Can't say when this one will end, but soon, I hope. :0) I apologize for the short chapter, too. It was necessary to end it where it did. - Yes, it was necessary…bwahahahaha!_

_As before, I don't own anything at all in this story other than Beth. And the air-conditioning unit. Yeah, I own that for sure; I live in 'warm' California, where it's currently 49 degrees…oops, scratch that, I just checked the temperature for outside – it's 48 degrees, and falling. Someone hand me a sweater, will ya? (I wrote this at midnight, so the temps have warmed up a bit since then.)_

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

**Chapter 38 – Shadow Jumping**

Beth was nearly exhausted by the time she stepped onto the roof from the ladder. As she stood there and shook the strain from her legs and hands, she tried to catch her breath. Then she made a mistake…she turned around.

Moments earlier, she had courageously worked her way up the side of the building, with Leo following from below. Despite her trepidation about climbing the ladder, Beth had done quite well, especially with Leonardo's encouraging instructions. He kept telling her to keep focused on grabbing the next rung, "Don't look down, don't look left or right, just keep your eyes on the next rung, just keep climbing," he patiently insisted.

With his own assent swift and sure, he seemed to push her along, too, not giving Beth even a chance to pause. In the end, their quick work up the ladder effectively kept her from wondering how high up she really was.

However, once Beth had made it to the top, it was a different matter all together. After a moment and as Leo came up over the edge of the roof, Beth made the mistake of turning around. It was then when she caught sight of just how high they were.

In the next moment, she found herself on the tarpapered roof, practically hugging it and becoming horribly dizzy. It was then she felt the overwhelming sense of vertigo take hold of her.

Concerned he had pushed too hard, once he had cleared the latter, Leonardo leaped over to Beth's side. "BETH?" he asked worriedly. He took hold of her, now, grabbing her shoulders and lifting her up gently so the girl could sit vertical, "Are you all right?"

"Just…dizzy, sick…oh oh…I think I'm gonna…" and the next thing Beth did, she hurled her mostly-digested dinner, fortunately missing Leonardo but unfortunately not Mikey's feet.

"Ew, that's _gross_!" Mike complained, as he instinctively jumped away. He danced frantically as vomit sprinkled over his toes. Raphael, who had already moved aside before Beth launched her meal, chuckled, quite amused with his brother's fate. Still, despite enjoying Mikey's torment, Raph, too, was rather concerned for the girl, "Ya'll right, there, Beth?" he asked as he walked up to her.

"Nnnn…not sure….um… not feeling so good," she admitted weakly, swallowing and then taking a few deep breaths. She really wanted to lie down, to pass out, anything to forget where she was, but she noticed right away that the roof was rather dirty. Consequently, she continued to sit there, upright, and supported by Leonard's arm.

Taking care where he stepped, Donnie joined them and squatted next to the girl. He laid a comforting hand along Beth's back and opposite of where Leo's was, "Vertigo; fear of heights?"

"Yeah," Beth nodded numbly, "I'm not used to being up this high. I mean…" she gulped back the sour taste in her mouth, "I sort of stay away from the roof's edged whenever I stargaze at home. Found out the hard way I don't like heights," she looked up at her friends, now, and said sheepishly, "Usually after a moment, I can adjust, but…" she glanced over at the mess she had made, "first time I've ever gotten sick, though."

"Why didn't you say somethin' earlier?" Raph grumbled as he towered over her, his arms folded in front of him.

She looked up at the red-masked turtle and gave a half grin, "How else were you getting me home? Mike said you left your disguises back in the lair."

Raph sighed, "So, what now?"

Leo smiled at Beth and asked, "You feeling better?"

"Kind of…but…I'll feel better once I get away from the ledge," and so she scooted back a bit, making sure to avoid her 'deposit'. Donnie stood up and moved out of the way to give her room, while Leo followed her; afraid she would actually pass out on them.

As her stomach settled and she became more adjusted, Beth heard Mikey say, "Um, ledges are gonna be kind of hard to avoid, since…" but then Raph punched him lightly in the arm.

"Zip it, Mike, she already said heights make her sick."

"But, we can't get her home without…" another smack in the arm from Raph, "Hey, watch it, quit hitting me."

"Then quit yer talk'n, you're makin' things worse," Raph growled.

However, listening to Raphael and Mike quarrel caused Beth to suck in a worried breath. She looked up at Leo in concern and asked, "H-how am I getting home exactly?" She then glanced towards the long row of conjoined roofs and was certain they would take her back to her apartment by crossing over them. However, further along, maybe ten building from where she sat, she noticed an obvious break in their continuity. "H-how are we going to get to the other side of that street when we run out of rooftop?" Beth then glanced up at Leo, hoping he had a brighter idea than what she feared.

Leonardo tightened his arm around Beth's shoulder as he gave her a small reassuring smile. He simply said, "We jump."

A while later, Raphael was grumping, "Ya know, Fearless Leader, ya could have said '_we'll think of somethin' once we get there!_" He then huffed, "But NO, you had to go and tell her, didn't ya?"

Leonardo jogged silently from behind, ignoring his brother's complaining as Raph led the way. Currently, Leo carried Beth's limp form in his arms. He knew that once she woke up, she would be disappointed she had passed out again. Still, it was probably better this way. Getting her home by rooftop would have taken much longer if she had balked every time they came to a break in their route. Between Donnie and him, they were able to carry Beth as they leapt between buildings over the occasional street.

Soon and before she had even stirred, they had Beth on the rooftop of her apartment, safe and sound.

Leo sat her down and allowed her to recline along the graveled surface. He cushioned her head with his hand as he stooped over her prone form. After a short time, Beth's eyes finally winked open. As she focused, she saw Leo's face taking up her entire field of vision and so she smiled weakly, "Guess I sort of zoned out again, huh?"

"Sort of, but…that's all right," Leo replied softly, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, actually, I am…so," she took a calming breath, "guess we'd better get going, huh?"

Leo smiled wider, "Don't have to."

"What?" Beth asked, somewhat confused, and then with a little help from Leo, she tried to sit up. "Hey," she exclaimed as she looked around, "This is…"

"The roof of your apartment, yes, I know," Leo remarked casually.

"But…um…how did I get here?" Beth was thoroughly confused.

Raphael walked over and stood next to her, a smug look on his face. Nodding towards Leo, he explained, "Your boyfriend here carried ya," He smirked at Leo's reddening expression and then Raph inclined his head towards the door leading down to the apartments below, "Now, I think we need ta get 'er inside, 'fore someone looks out their winda'."

Donne laughed, "Raph, there aren't any buildings nearby taller than these apartments, so there aren't any…"

"Figure of speech, Brainiac!" and the red-banded turtle marched across the roof and over to the door in question. It was unlocked as always and so he easily opened it. He now held the door open, swinging one arm towards its gaping maw in invitation, "First one in gets to pick the lock!"

"Ooo, that'd be me!" Mike chirped and clapped eagerly, then hurried on inside the building, making his way silently down the steps.

Donnie laughed and shook his head, as he followed his youngest brother's path. Walking past Raphael, he slapped him lightly on the shoulder, "Didn't know you were a gentleman, Raphael. Thanks for opening the door for us."

Raph growled, "I'm not, just didn't know if you had the intelligence to find it."

Donnie laughed and as he slipped into the stairwell, he replied with a chuckle, "You wish."

Leo helped Beth up to her feet. Making sure she wouldn't topple over, the blue-banded turtle guided her towards the door, his hand lightly gripping her arm. "I think once you get settled, I'll make you a cup of tea. You have tea bags?" he asked her.

"Yeah, but it's the flavored kind, none of that Earl Gray stuff. I like vanilla caramel!"

Leo did his best not to let Beth see his grimace, but – Raphael saw it, "Mmm, sounds _yummy_, doesn't it Leo? I think we're all gonna have ta have some of _that_!" He snickered as he saw his brother give him a challenging glare, just before disappearing inside the dark recess of the stairwell. Raphael turned sharply to follow likewise through the opening, but he hesitated for just a moment and turned. As he scanned the area once, just as a precaution, he studied the shadows across the alleyway where they had initially seen Beth. Then, he snorted once and followed his brothers inside, closing the door softly behind him, and leaving the rooftop vacant once again.

Across the street and hidden among the shadows, a lone figure waited, watching. He had seen the 'party' arrive on the rooftop across from him. But his interest had been on Beth, not her friends.

At first, he was worried about the girl, with the way one of them was carrying her. Then, after a moment, when she finally sat up and then stood, the shadowed figure seemed greatly relieved. He continued to wait, though, to see what the others would do. He was patient. He knew he had to make sure that before he made his move, the others wouldn't be around. How long that would be was just a guess, of course. However, if they stuck to their normal way of doing things, he knew they would make sure they had the girl settled in first before leaving, unless one of them had become smitten with her.

What he remembered of the girl, what little he could recall, she had been quite attractive years earlier. He smiled and knew that if she had recovered sufficiently, it was certain one of them would have felt Cupid's arrow.

Maybe even the one who carried her?

Nevertheless, he had already waited a couple of days and could wait a couple more hours, if need be. At least he now knew where the girl had been.

In any event, he remained where he was, sitting deep within the air conditioning unit's shadow, and waited.


	39. Turn Around

**_Disclaimer_** – _Nope, still not mine. Beth is, though. _

_Getting closer to the end._ _But, I have to bore the life out of you before then, so that whatever I write here on out will seem more interesting. LOL Gotta get this girl to the next point and, as sometimes happens, the in-between-time can often be simplistic. _

_Anyway, thanks for reading and for leaving reviews! It's what has kept me going, despite the long breaks between updates._

_Be blessed,_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 39 – Turn-Around**

It didn't take long for Mike to jimmy the lock on Beth's apartment door. In no time the five of them were soon inside her living room before any of the other tenants knew that they were even there.

Feeling better than she had earlier – now that she was finally home again, Beth went about the task of heating up some water in her tea kettle for the tea she promised her friends. Before too long, she and the four turtles each had a steaming cup of the vanilla caramel brew.

As he sat on the sofa and after a few sips from his cup, Mike was the first to comment. "Ya know, Beth, I didn't think I'd like this, but..." he took another taste to make sure and then, after he gulped it down, "it's not bad…kind of like having a calorie-free dessert." He looked over at Don who sat next to him, "wouldn't you say so, Donnie?"

Don was quiet for a moment as he sipped from his cup. He worked the tea around in his mouth reflectively, as if considering the flavors, before swallowing. He took a second tentative sip and, when he finished it, Donatello finally replied, nodding, "Somewhat. I find it interesting, though, that they would infuse tea leaves with such flavors as vanilla and caramel." He then addressed Beth, asking, "Mind if I take a couple of bags home with me so I can figure out the blend?"

Beth shrugged, "Sure," and stood up to go into the kitchen. After a moment, she returned with the two requested tea bags. Handing them over to Donnie, she asked, "Do you need more?"

"No, thank you," Don replied, "Two will do."

Beth then sat back down in her chair and picked up her cup to resume drinking her tea.

Where he sat at the opposite end of the couch from Don, Raph glanced over at him and smirked as he remarked, "Hey, Donnie, guess you like it, eh?"

"Huh? Oh, well, it's not that I like it so much," Donatello admitted, "I just want to see how they make it because I think Master Splinter might enjoy this." He looked over at Leonardo and asked, "You think Sensei would like this, Leo?"

Leo, who had just taken a mouthful of tea when Don asked his question, nodded a couple of times. After swallowing his drink, he finally concurred, "Yes, I think Father would like this occasionally."

Raph, however, was having a harder time downing his portion. In fact he had hardly any of it at all. He continued to hold his teacup, though, especially considering how he had teased Leonardo about it while they were still on the roof. After all, Raphael had something to prove. He liked Beth a lot and there wasn't any way in shell he would let his brother one-up him. Yet, from the first sip, the brew nearly made Raph gag. He stared into his cup once more and tried to bring it up to his mouth in an attempt to get passed its overwhelmingly sweet taste, but he just couldn't.

Nevertheless, when he noticed Leo's rather pleased expression and how it seemed to contradict his initial reaction when Beth first mentioned the tea, Raphael couldn't help himself.

With his usual sarcastic way, he asked, "Don't tell me that ya like it, Leo?"

Leo shrugged and replied, "Well, it's not as bad as I thought it would be," and then he smiled over at Beth, "It's rather good, actually."

The girl's face blushed a bit but she smiled back in return, "I'm glad you like it."

Raph rolled his eyes and chuckled, then looked over at Beth, "Well, no offense, Beth, but I'm not too crazy 'bout normal tea, so…"

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized as if suddenly realizing what he implied, "I forgot; you prefer beer, don't you?"

Raphael interrupted her, though, with a raised hand, "Don't worry 'bout it, like I said, even the reg'lar stuff doesn't suit me." He placed his now tepid cup of tea onto the coffee table in front of him and then leaned back into the couch a little. Folding his arms across his plastron, Raphael asked as he looked over at his brother, "So, Leo-san, what's our next assignment?"

"Next assignment?" Leo queried, "Oh, I see…well," he glanced over at Donnie, "I guess it's up to you, now, Don."

Don perked up a bit after he tucked the two tea bags into his left pouch on his belt. He turned and then addressed Beth, "I'll come by in a couple of days to check on your wound. It seems to be healing well enough, so I don't think you have any infection. Just be careful when you bathe. If the bandage gets wet, you'll have to re-wrap yourself with a dry one." From his right pouch, he procured a neatly rolled up wad of fresh bindings, the material wound tight to compress it. "Here's an extra roll, just in case you don't have any on hand." Donnie then offered the clean dressing to Beth.

"Thank you. I can always go to the store for more," she said, "but I think this will do for now."

Leo suddenly cleared his throat, sat more forward on his chair, and announced, "And once Don has declared you healed, we can start on your training."

Beth shied back just a little, though, "Um, I don't know much about what you do. I mean," she glanced over at Raphael, "I know from what Splinter said that you do martial arts, but all I've seen any of you do are back flips." She smiled a little, remembering the kind of punishment Splinter had implemented on Raphael's behalf.

Leo cocked his head and furrowed his brown. He then snapped his fingers, as if suddenly remembering something, "That's right, it was dark, there wasn't any way for you to see that fight." Yet, when he noticed Beth recoil a little in her chair, it was obvious the experience had troubled her. He remembered, then, how frightened she had been at the time, "Oh, I'm…sorry, Beth, I forgot that..."

The girl gave a small nervous smile, "That's okay, it all turned out well enough, but – you're right, it was too dark for me to see anything."

"Well, then…" Leo glanced away for a moment as if in thought and looked over at Beth again, "…maybe we can show you what we do." With that he stood and indicated with his hand for Raphael to stand with him, speaking to Beth again as he did, "Actually, besides ninjitsu, we are well versed in several forms of martial arts." He turned to Raphael, who now stood and faced him. "A little demo, bro?" Leo smiled invitingly.

"Here?" Raph asked, somewhat surprised as he considered the limited amount of room in the living area.

"Nothing extreme, just the practice stuff, you know, where we go through the motions a bit slower; the way we do when we want to fine-tune a kata."

Nodding, Raph concurred, "Yeah, okay," and then he pushed the coffee table over by the front door to give them a little more room to work with.

"Just be careful not to make any noise, okay?" Beth asked, "I'd hate for my neighbor downstairs to lob a complaint or for Mrs. Andrews to come knocking at my door just to find out what I'm doing in here."

Her four friends smiled and chuckled in amusement and then Mike stated causally to Beth, his smile wide and confident, "Stealth mode is what we do best, milady!"

Now, as Beth sat there, she watched as Leonardo and Raphael bowed to each other. Leo uttered a few words in Japanese to Raph, who answered him in the same language, and then they each took a step backwards.

Suddenly and without any further word or command, the two brothers came at each other. They began executing swift neat kicks and turns, leaping gracefully out of the way of the other, and hardly making any noise at all. Although it seemed well choreographed, where they mostly feigned hitting the other, the firm smacks of hand to plastron or upper arm, and foot to leg, resounded softly in the room. Beth's face grimaced in worry a couple of times, certain one of them had hurt the other, but the smiles playing along Leo and Raph's faces belied that assumption. Impressing Beth even more, throughout their five minute demonstration they remained vertical, as they blocked and parlayed each strike, with each movement crisp and sharp.

When they finally finished, Leonardo and Raphael bowed a second time to each other before returning to their chairs.

As he sat down, Leo looked over at Beth and smiled, waiting for her response.

Beth was mesmerized and even more so where neither of her two friends seemed the least bit winded. Finally, after a long pregnant moment, she asked, "Is…_that_ what you're going to teach me?"

Leo laughed and shook his head, "No, not exactly. What we'll teach you are survivor skills, such as how to disarm someone who might hold a gun or a knife to you, or, if someone tries to grab you, we'll show you how to get away."

"Also," Raphael added, "I can show you where to apply pressure points, so it really hurts!" He grinned, cocking one eye ridge and smirking. It was as if just the thought seemed fun to him.

"Well," Beth sighed, "I don't know if I'll be able to learn all of it, but I'll try."

"Oh, don't worry about learning all of it," Don added, "Just learning some of it will empower you, believe me!" He turned to look at his brothers, as he remarked, "I remember after we taught April a few katas…" but then Don fell silent, as the memory of their friend and her death momentarily overwhelmed him. He took in a sharp deep breath and, after a short pause, concluded as he addressed Beth once more, "Well, simply said, you'll feel stronger just knowing how to defend yourself." Donatello then smiled, but it was forced and Beth could tell he still grieved for the woman.

It was obvious by his and his brother's somber expression that whoever this April was, she had been a good friend to them. "I know that this April meant a lot to all of you," she finally stated, "I'm sorry for your loss."

A moment of quiet fell over the room. In fact, it was almost deafening as the four brothers reflected on their friend's passing. They had lost so much and it was quite apparent the turtles still grieved in part. Consequently, Beth couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable, as if she had desecrated a sacred memory or offended the brothers with just commenting about their deceased friend.

Finally, it was Michelangelo who broke the silence, "April O'Neil was more than a friend, Beth, she was…like our sister. It's a long story how she came to know us," he glanced over at Raphael before returning his attention to Beth again, "but how she died is what's tragic."

Mike dropped his gaze and stared at his hand in his lap for a moment, as he, too, took in a deep breath. Once he collected himself again, he looked up at the girl, his voice resolute, "April died because she knew where to find us, but she kept that information from our enemies, even though…" he swallowed hard, now, as his reflection almost overwhelmed him. But, he swallowed his rising grief, "even though they tortured her by cutting off most of her fingers." He frowned suddenly as he recalled that event, "We found her like that, just tossed in a dumpster like trash, barely alive after they beat her and with her hands nothing but bloody stumps. They maimed her so horribly that…well…it gave us all nightmares for the longest time." Mike sighed, "I don't know if we've fully recovered," he turned towards Leo, "but, I think it had a lot to do with how you've been behaving lately, Leo."

"No, I – I don't believe so, Mike," Leo countered, "I mean, that was seven years ago, I think I would have reacted sooner than that, or at least recovered by now."

"Not necessarily," Don challenged lightly, "it's not unusual for someone to have a delayed reaction to a traumatic experience. Finding Ap like we did would warrant a type of trauma. I think Mike is probably right this time."

"This time?" Mike protested indignantly, "I've been right before." He now straightened up in his chair, mildly offended.

Raph snickered, "Name one time, bro!"

Beth had to laugh when she saw Mike's determined expression. It was easy to tell he was giving serious thought to Raphael's challenge, yet the longer he took in recalling the last time he was right, the more amused his brothers became, their smiles growing wider along their mouths.

"Thought so," Raph finally chuckled.

"Hey, give me a moment, okay?" Mike snapped, "Something will come to me, you can count on it!"

"Old age, probably," Raph teased.

"I resent that!" Mike protested again and seemed ready to get up off his chair to physically challenge his older brother, but Leo quickly interrupted.

"Hey, guys, I think it's best that we get going, okay? We have a lot to do yet, tonight."

Mike chortled, "Saved by the bell, eh Raph?"

Raphael shook his head and laughed, "As if."

His younger brother shrugged and nodded, "Okay, but – " he picked up his teacup and saucer, "let me do cleanup, 'kay?" Mike then took Beth's and proceeded to gather up the others, stacking them neatly on top.

"No, that's all right, I can get it…" Beth said as she tried to get up to help.

Mike shook his head and directed, "Nope, you just sit yourself down and relax. I can get this!"

Beth's eyes widened slightly as she watched Mike balance the now-towering pillar of stacked teacups and saucers through the living room and around the breakfast bar, soon disappearing into her kitchen. She held her breath, fearful he would drop one, cringing even as she anticipated the sound of breaking china. The teacups were part of her mother's collection and it would pain her terribly if even one broke, but then Don lightly laid a hand on her arm.

Bringing her attention around to him, he assured her, "Don't worry about Mikey, he's done this before. It's been a long while since he's dropped any…"

Suddenly, a clatter of porcelain rang out from the kitchen. Everyone in the other room gasped as Mike declared, "Whoops."

Beth's head jerked around and she began to stand up in concern. Where she sat she couldn't see what had happened, but then an orange-masked face peered into view over the breakfast bar and looked at her, "Just kidding!" Mikey lightly chuckled as he went back to his task of cleaning up the dishes.

"You know, Mikey," Raph remarked, "you need to stop giving people heart attacks!"

Mike only replied by giggling as his amusement filtered out from the kitchen.

Moments earlier, as Mike headed into the kitchen, he had remembered where the weakened floorboard was. In fact, he cheered a little to himself when he circumvented that particular area of the floor without making a sound. Now, as he stood over the kitchen sink, he glanced once at the blind-covered window, remembering how he and his brothers had first entered Beth's apartment. Then, his attention went back to washing the cups and saucers.

After plugging the drain, he carefully placed each piece of china into the sink. Turning on the hot water, his eyeridges furrowed a little in thought and he glanced again at the window. He studied it for a moment. After adding a few squirts of dish soap into the water, he let the sink fill with frothy bubbles, and decided to let the dishes soak for a moment. Mike then went over to inspect the window a little more.

As he fingered the torn window shade, studying the rips and tears, he recalled its condition when they left the apartment the first time. When Raphael had forced the window open a few days earlier, the shade had ripped in several spots. Mike had been responsible for locking things up before returning to the lair with a then-injured Leo and Beth, so he had memorized its condition. It was a habit of his and a byproduct of his training. "_Know your environment"_ was one of Splinter's strict teachings.

In either event, by Mike's account and with what he remembered, he easily noticed that the rips were now longer and deeper than what had been there before

"_Hmm…maybe when I closed the window…" _he thought, working that idea around, wondering if maybe he had aggravated the tears.

"Hey, Mike, ya got those dishes done yet?" Raph's voice grounded out, interrupting his brother's thoughts, "Cuz we have to get going."

"Almost done." Mike replied quickly, giving the window one more curious glance before returning to the sink to wash up the cups and saucers.

A while later, with his task finished, Mike wiped his hands dry on a towel, looped it through the door handle of the refrigerator, and joined up with his brothers in the living room.

A short time later and as they were preparing to leave, Leo told Beth, "Well, we'll be back in a couple of days, okay? But if you need us, you know our phone number, now. It won't take us long to get here."

"I think I'll be all right," she smiled, "I appreciate all that you've done for me, though." Beth then went about hugging each of them in gratitude. She hugged Leo last and when she finished, she said, "I hope after I'm healed and – ah – trained, that you all will still come and visit me from time to time."

Leo swallowed and nodded, "You can count on it." Leo then looked deeply into Beth's eyes. He knew that he would most certainly pay her a visit from time to time, maybe even more frequently than that.

Feeling the heat of his gaze, however, Beth suddenly shied away, ducking her head just a little, as if sensing her friend's longings. She was determined not to be more than a friend to Leo. Therefore, it was imperative she remain strong with her decision. As her face reddened, however, she heard a low chuckle from one of the others. "_Probably Raphael,"_ she mused silently. Then, Beth looked back up at the quartet of mutant turtles, smiled, and said, "Well, best you four get going, before Mrs. Andrews wonders why I'm making so much noise!" She rolled her eyes a bit, "She's such a busybody, sometimes!"

One by one the four mutant turtles filed out of the front door – silent as vapor – and made their way up the stairs to the fifth floor and eventually to the rooftop. As Beth watched the last of them disappear along the staircase, she sighed and then prepared to close her door. Suddenly, she remembered that her mail had probably gathered dust in her mail box downstairs and it wouldn't be good for the mailman to get suspicious. She knew that after a few days of collecting, he would probably become concerned and alert the authorities.

That was just something she couldn't allow.

A while later and after returning to her apartment from getting her mail, Beth read the various return addresses to determined who they were from. As she walked over to her dining table, she tossed most of the mail into the trash can nearby. Junk mail was her usual fare and only if it proved interesting would she open them.

However, as she came to the last envelope, her heart nearly stopped.

Along the upper left hand corner where the return address was, the insignia of the New York City Courts almost screamed out at her. Beth felt her hands begin to shake, for she knew what it meant to get any mail from them. The only mail they had ever sent to her always concerned her assault case and the man who had beaten and raped her, and then left her for dead. After his sentencing, she had been assured by the judge that he would never get out, but Beth knew the capriciousness of the judicial system. It was far to easy for someone to get a reduced sentence for good behavior.

And usually 'good behavior' was good only until the criminal got out of jail.

More often than not, they returned to their life of crime, because of the stigma of being a con made it difficult for them to find legitimate work. It was sad, really. Despite their time 'rehabilitating' in prison, men, and even women, frequently found themselves lured back to the lifestyle that incarcerated them in the first place. It was hard to find a job where most honorable employers wouldn't hesitate to refuse them. It was a double edged sword at best to pay one's 'dues', yet Beth couldn't blame anyone for not hiring such a person. It was just human nature not to trust someone who had 'jail time' on their resume.

However, a sudden tingling strain in her arms alerted Beth that she was close to zoning out again, so she went over and sat down on the couch and closed her eyes. She looked up at the clock on her wall to note the time but then tried to remember what Splinter had taught her. She began to breath in and out, slow and even, tasting the air, and feeling each intake as she did. The tingling soon subsided, but she still kept to her rhythmic inhalation, expelling the air slowly through her pursed lips. When she was confident enough, Beth opened her eyes and then studied the envelope in her hands once again.

Finally, realizing she couldn't put it off any longer, Beth slowly peeled up the envelope's top flap. She worked her fingers underneath it and along the rest of the flap until she had the envelope opened. Now, she hesitated. She did another short breathing exercise and when she felt satisfied she would remain fully alert, she slipped one finger inside and extracted its contents, slowly unfolding the letter.

Gulping in trepidation, she now began to read, and as she read, her eyes widened with concern. Once more, she felt a tingling along her arms. She tried, she really did, to keep alert, but the enormity of what the letter said weighed heavier against her with each passing second. Beth knew that if she didn't do something quick, she would go catatonic again and there wasn't any way she would let that happen.

She was tired of becoming its victim.

Nearly jumping up from the couch, Beth went into the kitchen as quickly as she could. She went to her cupboard and procured a cup, next filling it with cold tap water. She drank hungrily and after she downed the contents of her glass, she did some more breathing exercises.

Finally, after a moment, she felt herself begin to relax again, but she still wondered if she had zoned out. She glanced once at the clock on her stove and sighed with relief when she saw only a few minutes had passed. She smiled, realizing she had succeeded in keeping her wits about her this time, even if it was only for a moment. However, her mind came back to the letter in her hand once more.

The letter was from her attorney, sent to her through the courts. He was informing Beth that the man who had raped her, assaulted her, stabbed her and left her to die had gained early release. According to the court appointed psychologist, the man had made a complete turn-around during his five years in jail. In fact, he had impressed everyone with his repentance for what he had done to her. He had even found God during his incarceration, conducting small services for those fellow inmates who had also found religion.

Still, Beth remembered well what her father had once told her about such people. "_Born again until they're out again, Beth._ _You can't put faith in that, because a leopard can rarely, if ever, change his spots!"_

With her heart beating furiously, she went to her phone to call her friends, but as she picked up the receiver, Beth suddenly realized that they probably weren't back to the lair yet. Maybe they decided to do some patroling? It was what Splinter told her they did, that they tried to keep the city safe from criminals - such as the one that had assaulted her in the first place.

Now, she didn't know what to do and Beth was afraid, more so than she had been in a long time, and – once again – the all too familiar feelings of catatonia began to overwhelm her.

"NO!" she declared suddenly and defiantly; her voice ringing out as it echoed against her austere walls. Fisting her hands, she stood there in her kitchen and fought her rising sense of detachment. "I will **not** give in!" she declared angrily, as if addressing her disorder, feeling its temptation to bend to its will.

And it scared her because she wanted to.

Yet, in that moment, Beth realized a very interesting truth.

In the past five years she had suffered, she suddenly realized, as she reflected, that she wanted to suffer! Like an epiphany, she now understood that her malady had become her friend. To Beth, it had become a comfort, some place she could go to in order to escape her fears, and– even though it often reminded her what '_he'_ did to her – she could still forget what happened.

However, now that she wanted to change and to stop reacting to it, to face her fears and defeat them, in that moment she found her malady less attractive.

"Whatever happens," she growled resolutely, "I will not let it ever control me again!"

And she would have continued standing there, too, focused and determined, if not for the sudden knock upon her front door.


	40. Umbrella Man to the Rescue

_**DISCLAIMER – **Well, gee, how many ways can one say it, other than "I don't own them". _

_Yes, it's getting more exciting, I hope. I can only hope, because your comments are my only proof to that. Let me know if I need to work on some things. Action stuff is always the hardest to write. :0)_

_Oh, and many thanks to all who have continued to read and especially to those who took the time to comment!_

_Be blessed,_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 40 – Umbrella Man to the Rescue!**

"Are you sure?"

"Wha'd'ya take me for, Mikey, an idiot?" Raph growled.

"Look, I know what condition it was in." Mike insisted, glaring up at his brother, "There' isn't any way for those rips to be like that. When we went back to Beth's apartment to get her clothes, you _must_ have looked out the kitchen window."

"Well, I didn't. I only grabbed a glass of wateh an' that's it. I didn't even go over t'the winda."

Laying a gentle, calming hand on his youngest brother's arm, Don suggested, "Mike, maybe you're mistaken? I mean there was a lot going on when we found Leo with Beth."

"I know what the shade looked like, Donnie," Mike declared, feeling more exasperated than he had in a long while. He knew that arguing about it was wasting precious time; Beth could be in danger.

"You're certain of this?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, Leo, I am," Mike snapped, but then he softened, "I mean, when I closed that window before we took you and Beth back to the lair, I memorized the tears in the shade. That's what we're trained to do, to know things like that. There were five rips. Now, a few of 'em are longer than they were, like someone pulled the shade up to look out the window. That's the only way those tears can be worse than what they were – and we both know that no one's been in her apartment 'cept us."

"Well," Don stated the obvious, "seems that's not true, now."

Mike sighed and shook his head, "Yeah, bro, and that's not good."

"Could it be her neighbor, Mrs. Edwards or maybe the super?" Raph asked, looking back towards Beth's building.

"If it was them, then why didn't they call the police?" Mike replied, "Nosey neighbors and landlords are both aware of active tenants. But if Beth is a recluse and stays in her apartment most of the time, there wouldn't have been any reason for someone to get concerned."

"Except," Don declared, almost suddenly, "she had helped Leo and I know it was before we arrived, because when we saw her in the alley with her groceries, she went right to his sword. The way she acted, it was like she knew it was there all along." He looked at his older brother, now, "and, from what Beth told Splinter, you half-walked while she shouldered you on one side. You couldn't have been too quiet for Mrs. Andrews not to hear. Seeing Beth with anyone would make her more than just curious." Don then addressed Mikey, "Especially if Beth is a loner. It could have been her neighbor."

Shaking his head, Mike countered, "An old lady, prying open a locked door? Com'on, Don, you're smarter than that."

Don blushed and looked almost embarrassed, "Yeah…guess I'm just trying to reason this out too much," then he smiled a little, "unless she's a retired ninja!"

Raphael chuckled, grinning just a little, "Don, I'd keep yer day job, 'kay? Crackin' jokes ain't yer style."

"Still, none of this makes any sense," Leo remarked softly, interrupting his brothers' banter as he scanned their general area with worried concern. "Even if the landlord had been in there, he would have called the police by now, given Beth's habits. Her apartment would have been cordoned off. We would have known something was up tonight, even before getting to the fifth floor."

Leo sighed as he looked back towards Beth's apartment. Currently, they were a block away and across the rear alley from her building, deep among the shadows of a large air conditioning unit. Initially, Leo was slightly annoyed with Mike for not mentioning his concerns sooner, before leaving Beth's apartment a moment ago. Then again, if he had, Beth might have become overly worried, so it was probably just as well that Mike told them when he did.

Turning to Raphael, now, Leo remarked, "The last thing I remember before waking up in my room, was fighting a few Foot soldiers on top the building across from Beth's apartment. I can't recall most of what happened, but I do know the battle began there." He narrowed his expression a little, "I injured one of them, a Foot soldier, I remember that well, but he wasn't too quiet about it. A novice, I assumed. He took off but after that, things get kind of blurry for me." Then, Leo asked Raphael, "You know as well as I do the Foot will hang around if they know one of us is injured and hiding. Are you certain that no one saw you leave after you found me? "

Raph grumped indignantly, "Ya think I'd be that careless, Leo?"

"No, I don't," his brother replied tersely, "But you might have been distracted enough trying to get Beth and me back to the lair!" Leo sighed then, "If any of you were injured the way I was, I don't know if I would have been focused enough to know if any Foot were nearby. I would be desperate enough just to get you back home."

Just thinking about the repercussions and imagining Beth under Foot surveillance chilled Leonardo to the bone. If they had seen her take him to her apartment, they could have hung around long enough just to find out if his brothers would come looking for him. For the Foot to discover Beth's affiliation would almost be like a death sentence for her.

_"Of course_," Leo wondered to himself, "_if they had kept watch on Beth's apartment, why didn't the Foot attack us while we were still on her roof?" It would have been the perfect opportunity_.

In either event, the last thing Leo wanted was to attract any attention to Beth, just in case some of the Foot had indeed infiltrated her apartment while she was gone. Why they were waiting was the true mystery, of course. Yet, the more he thought about it, the more Leonardo wondered if it was the Foot that had broke into Beth's tenement.

Regardless, he was determined never again to endanger another human. As far as he and his family were concerned, losing April had been too high a price in keeping the lair's location a secret.

Donnie then asked, "Well, do we go back and hide out somewhere so we can keep an eye on the place?"

Leo didn't hesitate to answer, "Yeah, we go back. We've probably already wasted too much time talking about it." He then turned and started running towards Beth's building again, quietly unsheathing his swords as he ran. Leonardo's three brothers followed close behind him, all with weapons at the ready.

As they raced along the line of rooftops, the four turtles kept to the shadows and remained on the opposite side of the alley from where the girl's apartment was. This time, they ran silently, keeping their jokes and comments to themselves. Each one was keenly aware that any mishap, any step into the moon-born light could alert their presence to whoever was watching for their arrival. If any Foot had entered Beth's apartment while she was in the mutant's subterranean home, the soldiers would know if Leo and his brothers had been there. Like the mutants, they could spot the most innocuous scrap of evidence. Considering the Spartan condition of Beth's apartment, even a small piece of scute from their carapace would have been enough to condemn the girl and where Leo had lain injured on the sofa at the time, the chance of that happening was good.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The soft sound of knocking jerked Beth out of her brief pep talk to keep herself focused. She whipped her head around to stare worriedly at her front door, her breath catching in her throat. Then, as a second rap sounded, she smiled, realizing it was probably Leonardo or even Don. Maybe they had forgotten to tell her something.

"Coming!" she said cheerily, almost giddy. She had enjoyed their company and was already missing them, especially Leo, even though Beth had made up her mind to keep their relationship as platonic as possible.

Unlocking the five deadbolts, but keeping her door-chain intact – if only out of habit, Beth took a measured breath. Then, she smiled, and slowly opened her front door.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Grinning triumphantly, he knew his patience had paid off. He watched from his vantage point as the four mutant turtles reappeared on the roof again. They raced to the back edge, where they leapt easily over the narrow alley that ran behind the girl's apartment. The man in the shadows watched intently as, one by one, each landed on the opposing roof. Then, all four turned right and race swiftly away from him.

As they disappeared within the evening's shadows, it occurred to the man that they had made friends with this girl, since nearly an hour had gone by since their initial arrival. A memory from his past washed over him and for a moment, he felt his chest tighten. However, he quickly dismissed it, shaking his head and refocusing his determination to the task once more.

As the four brothers disappeared among the shadows of the conjoining brownstones, the man watching them sighed, "_Well, bettah get this ovah wit."_

After a long moment - and when he felt confident that the turtles would not see him, he slipped quickly out from his hiding place. He then worked his way along the roof of the warehouse he had taken refuge on and headed towards Greenwich. He used satellite dishes, air conditioning units, and circulation vents as cover. There, the shadows were richer with the moon's descent now below the western edge of the New York City skyscrapers.

As he worked his way to the closest fire escape, he knew it was imperative that he make contact with the girl first, before doing anything else. And to do that, he needed the others out of the way, since the last thing he wanted was an interruption. It just amazed him, though, that the two jobs he had that night would end up knowing each other. "_One might call it fate, I guess,"_ he mumbled to himself.

Finding a fire escape ladder along the back of one warehouse fronting Seventh Street, he quickly made his way down to the alley. His descent was as silent as a breath of wind, but at around the halfway point, something made him look across the way towards the girl's apartment. A movement along its roofline caused him to glance upwards and it was then he saw it.

It was brief, like a flash, but it was unmistakable to the man. As the figures in black disappeared over the roofline of the brownstone, it was enough evidence to cause his eyes to widen with alarm. He swore under his breath and then muttered, "No, not them, not now!"

In panic, he slid the rest of the way down the ladder, his feet now on the handholds, rather than the steps. His hands guided his fall, but he still nearly dropped like a rock as he hurtled towards the alley floor.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The instant Beth cracked her door open, someone from the other side muscled their way in. The forceful entry broke the security chain from the door frame, sending tiny links and screws flying in every direction like shrapnel.

Nevertheless, the door's sudden and violent opening threw the girl back into her living room, where she crumpled awkwardly to the floor. As she fell, Beth landed against the side of her sofa and for a moment, she lay there stunned.

Before she could react or comprehend what had happened, though, eight black-clad strangers barreled into Beth's apartment, all wielding weapons that reminded her of her friends. Immediately, two of them grabbed her up and forced her to stand. Then, too quick for her to utter even a squeak, they silenced her with a gag, tying it securely around her mouth. They tied it so tight it hurt, but before she could complain, they had her arms bound behind her with duct tape.

It had all happened so fast that she could do little but let it happen.

With eyes wide with fright, now, and her mind trying desperately to stay conscious, Beth came to her senses and attempted to scream through the gag. It proved ineffective, however. Even with the front door wide open, Mrs. Edward's keen hearing wouldn't have been able to detect the girl's desperate cries.

Then, just as one of the soldiers began to heft the girl over his shoulder, Beth realized they hadn't bound her legs yet. Instantly, she lashed out as hard as she could with her feet, squirming in her assailants arms as she kicked at shins and groins. She only managed a few vain hits, though, before he pushed her away and slapped her across the face. Once again, Beth crumpled towards the floor, cries of pain and fear coming weakly through her gagged mouth, her tears flowing freely as she grimaced and recoiled from the strike.

Then, Beth found herself forced upright a second time, rudely jerked to her feet in one sudden move, but before she could mete out more kicks, someone from behind bound her legs with the duct tape. Helpless, now, she could do little than to gyrate and squirm around, valiantly trying to thwart any further attempts for someone to lift her.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Racing up the brownstone's front steps and into the foyer, he quickly began climbing the stairs, taking two and sometimes three steps with each leap. He knew exactly where the men in black were going and he knew he didn't have much time.

However, in the moment that he exploded onto the fourth floor from the stairwell, the tenant in apartment 4A opened her front door.

A short-stature woman of seventy, her hair silver gray and cropped in a short curly perm, Mrs. Edwards barely filled the doorway with her petit frame. Dressed in a simple duster and wearing socks that stretched up her legs, with fluffy pink slippers adorning her feet, she looked curiously out her front door. It was obvious that something had piqued her interest enough to come out of her apartment.

However, her wondering expression soon turned to concern when she saw a man barrel up from the stairwell to her floor. Instantly, she brought her hand to her mouth in alarm and cried out. Mrs. Edwards then retreated inside her apartment a little, as her eyes grew wide with trepidation. At first, the woman appeared as if she would faint. Then, she scowled, squared her shoulders, and glared at the man. Reaching over to grab something just inside her doorway, she then narrowed her eyes and rushed him with sudden determination.

The next thing the man knew the old lady was batting at him with an unopened umbrella, the energy behind her strikes harmonized with her determined grunts and declarations.

"You punks can't come racin' up them stairs like that, you 'bout give me a heart attack. You need to learn manners…," she hollered indignantly.

The man ducked and tried to avoid the woman's assault, but her 'weapon' found its mark as she repeatedly pelted the intruder. Finally, he managed to grab the umbrella and easily took it from the woman and, exasperated, the man explained hastily, "Look, lady, I'm not here to cause trouble, 'kay?"

Then, a sudden sound caused both of them to turn their attention towards the other apartments.

With Beth's doorway blocked by several men clad in black, the elderly woman's eyes grew wide with uncertainty, as she breathlessly exclaimed, "Oh, goodnedssgraciousME!"

"You need to get back inside your apartment, ma'am," the man ordered crisply, still grasping her umbrella, "and double lock your door, too."

Without a word, the woman complied eagerly, belying her age as she quickly disappeared inside her apartment. Immediately thereafter, strikers locking into the door jamb announced the fact that she had done as ordered.

Now, the man turned his attention over to Beth's apartment.

With black-clad intruders filling the doorway, he watched as one further in wrestled with getting the girl under control. The man could tell she was making it difficult, too, with the way she writhed and twisted in her assailant's arms, trying to keep him off balance just enough to thwart his efforts.

Then, three who were closest to the front door, heard someone clear their throat. It was then they realized that they had unexpected company. They turned sharply around and the moment they saw the man, the moment they locked eyes with him, they immediately brandished their weapons.

Now, an assortment of katana and nunchukas jutted upwards as if announcing their threat.

Unfathomed by their menacing gesture, in reply the man waved the old woman's unopened umbrella at them. It only caused one of the three ninja to chuckle as if amused. Yet, contrary to what they expected - which was for the man to run the other way - he growled. Then, he charged them, yelling, "Keeya!" running full out, aiming the umbrella in their direction.

In response, the three in the doorway rushed into the central hallway with equal enthusiasm.

Just as the umbrella man and the trio of ninja came together, the umbrella popped open. Its sudden deployment effectively distracted the three attackers. Duck away instinctively and lowering their weapons – which was exactly what the man had wanted and expected – they didn't see what happened next.

Before any of the three knew it, they were horizontal and splayed on the floor, helped along with well-placed kicks and punches from the man. Their coup de gras came when he picked up one of the dropped nunchukas from the floor, and, without pause, used it to send them further in to oblivion.

However, just as he turned to resume his charge into apartment 4B, three additional black-dressed ninja appeared outside Beth's doorway, their weapons drawn.

And, as they squared off, the tenant in 4C opened their door to see what the ruckus was. The moment the woman saw four men and then the three who lay sporadically along the hallway, she slammed her front door shut, with all five deadbolts soon locking into place.

"Well, looks like we have permission t'dance, fellas!" the umbrella man declared cheerily, his previous 'weapon' now upgraded to a nunchukas. He grinned impishly at the trio of ninja, as he casually twirled the wood and chain armament.

Taking one step in their direction, he smirked wider when he saw a sudden change in their confident demeanor. It was almost as if their courage had suddenly failed them in that moment.

"Yeah, t'think I got yer friends with a simple umbrella, eh?" He inclined his head to his now discarded and broken weapon lying at his feet. Then he laughed, "Just imagin' what I can do wit a chuk!"

But, instead of answering his challenge, though, the trio of ninja fell back, almost afraid, with one of them sucking in a nervous breath.

"Hey, respect…that' somethin' I can appreciate, but – fellas – let's not quit now, the party's just start…" However, he noticed that they didn't seem to be looking directly at him, as much as they were looking past him towards the stairs that led to the fifth level.

It was then the man sensed a presence behind him – three to be precise – and even if there should have been one more, he knew who they were.

"Ah, crud…"


	41. Friend or Foe?

_**Disclaimer – **TMNT's are owned by others, not me._

_Okay, folks, I changed the number regarding the presence behind Umbrella Man in the previous chapter, near the end. The way this one developed, I had to have 'one' of them somewhere else. It all works better that way._

_So, have you guessed who Umbrella Man is, yet? That's a rhetorical question, btw. In either event, if you haven't, you will know soon enough. _

_Anyway, thanks to all who have kept up with reading this and for those who have been kind enough to leave a review for me. Don't hesitate to point out plot holes, grammar hiccups, etc, either. I've gone over this with as critical an eye as I can muster, but that doesn't say much, since it's easy to miss the 'obvious'. :0) I think I've changed half of this about a dozen times, though, since I typed the first sentence – and even that isn't the original one! LOL _

_Either way, be blessed._

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**Chapter 41 – Friend or Foe?**

Despite her bound hands and feet, Beth struggled desperately with her assailant. She tossed herself around, throwing herself about so violently, that she kept the man in black from lifting her up over his shoulder. He was rather annoyed with her, too, uttering angrily in Japanese and Beth was certain whatever he said it wasn't very nice.

Although only a minute or so had passed since they had broken into her apartment, it was still a sufficient amount of time to give the girl hope. Maybe a neighbor had heard her muffled cries for help and was now calling the police. It was all she could expect, since Leonardo and his brothers had left only ten minutes earlier. Beth was certain they were too far away to know she was in trouble.

Just the same, she was fatiguing fast and Beth finally had to resign herself to her fate. It was either that or risk one of the men knocking her out. Considering how agitated they were and the whispered commands one of them seemed bent on giving the ninja responsible for lifting Beth, she was certain they would knock her out to expedite her kidnapping.

And there wasn't any way Beth wanted to be kidnapped while unconscious, because wherever it was that they took her, she wanted to be awake, just in case she managed to get away.

Finally, conceding defeat, Beth relaxed and soon felt herself quickly thrown over the ninja's shoulder. It was then that she found she had a perfect view of her opened doorway. Standing there at the threshold and watching her as they blocked the door, three others like the one that carried her stood like sentries. With their arms crossed in front of them and with legs spread slightly apart, they seemed quite intimidating. Even if she could break free, restraints or no restraints, Beth knew she would never make it out of her apartment.

Before any of them could vacate her dwelling, though, a sudden unexpected noise came from the hallway. The interruption caused the three guards to turn sharply around.

For an instant, Beth thought for sure the police had arrived and she heartened, and even more so when they brought their weapons up to ready position. As they crouched defensively, she couldn't help but sigh with relief. "_Yea!_ _I'm going to get rescued!"_ she cheered to herself.

Just for an instant, however, she was able to see passed the crouching sentries and into the hall near where Mrs. Edward's apartment and the stairwell were. The first thing Beth did not see was the police. In fact, the only thing she saw initially was an umbrella.

"Who could that be…?" she asked herself, but then Beth quickly recognized it as Mrs. Edwards', if only because of its large size. But before she could identify who had it, the ninja holding her turned to see what his three compatriots were doing. His abrupt movement swung Beth away from her perfect view. Now she faced the kitchen side of her apartment and she was rather disappointed, too.

Nevertheless, a sudden thought occurred to her that filled her with dread.

On many occasions, Beth had seen Mrs. Edwards use the same over-sized umbrella that now seemed to face the three ninja, and it didn't matter if it was raining outside or not. Maybe the woman's skin suffered with the sun or maybe it was just part of her own eccentricity, but – in that moment - it really didn't matter to Beth, since she would recognize it anywhere.

And, considering her current predicament, considering the ninja in her apartment, the girl couldn't help but worry, now. Now she was concerned Mrs. Edwards had ventured outside her tenement, lured there with what little noise Beth had made from her own apartment.

In that moment, Beth wished she hadn't made any noise at all.

"_And to think I hated how she watched me whenever I went out!"_ she grumbled.

Ironically, the girl suddenly wished she had been friendlier to Mrs. Edwards, rather than behave so elusively_. "If only I hadn't been so afraid of people,"_ Beth now sobbed anew.

Nevertheless, with the way her attacker held her, Beth couldn't tell what was going on, now, but she did hear a distinctive and sudden '_keeya'_, resound from the hallway. She tried to turn d around on her abductor's shoulder to look back towards the opened doorway, desperate to know what was going on. The ninja holding her forcibly shifted her back, but he seemed equally concerned, too. As he turned to say something to one of the others standing next to him, he changed his position just enough to make it easier for Beth to see what happened next.

Whoever was in the hallway acted so quickly and suddenly, the girl could hardly believe it happened at all.

At first, the three masked men charged out of her apartment, holding weapons in the air like what Mikey and Leo used. In the next moment, she saw the umbrella open with a sudden 'foomp' sound. A few surprised yips later and the men lay sprawled along the wooden floor. One groaned in pain while the other two were apparently unconscious.

After the first three were down, Beth looked over to where she expected her neighbor to be, thankful for the old woman's intervention. It was then she realized Mrs. Edwards was a man, not that Mrs. Edwards was a man per se', but it had been a man who had Mrs. Edwards' umbrella.

Beth was confused for a moment. "_I didn't even know she had company!"_

Nevertheless, there was a strange man in the hallway who had his back to Beth's opened door. She noticed he wore a black leather coat and blue jean pants and, as he tossed the umbrella aside, he chuckled once, as if amused with his handiwork.

Beth desperately wanted to know who he was, but he kept his back to her opened door, so she couldn't tell. It was all very frustrating for her.

Then, with the man standing half-way between her door and Mrs. Edward's, and with his back still facing Beth, she watched as three more of her kidnappers rushed outside her apartment the way the first three had done. Baring arms as their compatriots had, they stopped just past the threshold. Beth tried to warn the man, yelling through her gag, but she couldn't tell if he heard her, since the trio in the doorway had effectively blocked her view, now.

That was when Beth heard the door at apartment 4C creak open. Almost in the next moment, though, the same door slammed shut again. Beth could hear its deadbolts quickly locking into place. Although she was most disappointed, it was obvious to the girl that her other neighbors had chosen to retreat instead of intervene.

She really didn't blame them, either.

"_I only hope they have enough presence of mind to call the police, though!"_ she prayed fervently to herself.

Then, Leather-man made a comment about a 'party', but instead of charging towards him as their comrades had done, the trio of ninja stepped back into the apartment again. Now, they weren't as confident as they had been a moment earlier.

In fact, Beth noticed they had lost their courage entirely

Questions filled her mind, causing her to wonder who this man was that could cause such fear in the ninja sent to kidnap her. "_Who could he be?"_ she wondered to herself.

Yet, when she heard him exclaim, "Oh crud', she could tell he didn't seemed very happy and she wondered, then, if something else was about to happen.

As the last vestiges of the man's words evaporated, a momentary quiet – almost a deathly silence – blanketed the scene.

Then, all hell broke loose.

If Beth thought the man in leather had moved fast, the flash of green that came next was more so.

Actually, there were three flashes with intermittent colors of red, orange, and purple. Despite their almost instant appearance, though, Beth knew exactly who they were – and for a moment, she cheered to herself.

That is until she wondered where 'blue' was.

She didn't have to wonder for long.

As the other three 'colors' disarmed the trio in black standing in front of Beth's doorway and rendered them unconscious, they quickly barreled into her apartment.

Gone was her concern for the man. Her friends had arrived!

In reply, each of Beth's two assailants immediately brandished short swords as they turned to face the reptilian interruption. There was little the girl could do except hope and pray she wouldn't be cut during the impending battle.

As she squeezed her eyes shut and prepared for the worst and, as she heard a faint but distinctive 'thump', her 'handler' jerked once and collapsed without warning. Beth began to fall with him, but before she hit the floor, someone grabbed her up just in time.

With her eyes still tightly closed, she didn't know that Raphael had caught her, keeping her from falling under her captor. As he brought her up to a stand and before he could assure her, Beth began to jump around and gyrate again, trying to scream through her gag, as she wriggled around defensively.

Everything had happened so fast and she thought for sure it was the other ninja in the room. Because her attacker had whipped around to face the door so quickly, Beth hadn't seen who it was who had rendered him unconscious. All that mattered to Beth, with her arms and legs still immobile, was that she was still a captive. Consequently, she wanted to make things as difficult as she could.

Raphael shook his head and sighed, then turned her around to face away from him and it was then when she opened her eyes.

And, when she did, she smiled through her gag. Leonardo stood before her, apparently just finishing with sheathing his swords. It was then Beth began to cry.

"It's all right, Beth," Leo cooed as he walked up to her, giving her a reassuring smile, as he took her in his arms. Slipping the gag from her mouth, he said, "You're safe, now," and hugged her to him.

The moment her mouth was free, "Leo, Leo, thank you, thank you so much!" the girl sobbed, "I was so frightened," she cried into his neck as he held her, "I thought for sure I was going to die." Her body trembled as she cried, her hot grateful tears running freely down her face.

"You're going to be fine; it's all over, but…" Leo looked over at Raphael, Mike, and Don, who stood near the prone unconscious forms of the two Foot soldiers, "we need to get you out of here, Beth."

Before she could ask why, someone pulled at her arms, her limbs still tied behind her. Instinctively, she jerked away.

"Hey, stay still," Raph ordered briskly, "gonna take a moment to get this tape off yer wrists." He tried to peel the tape off, but as it pulled her skin, she cried out. Raphael swore and then eased up a bit, but as the tape stubbornly resisted his attempt, he stopped for a moment. "Just be still, okay? Don't move," Raph directed softly.

In the next instant, Beth's hands were free once again. Her wrists hurt a bit from her tight bindings, but she didn't' complain. It was worth the discomfort, compared to what her future would have been like had Raphael and his brothers not intervene when they did.

Beth tried to hop around to thank him, but with her legs still taped together, she bobbled more than hopped. As Raph stopped pressed his hand along her back, Leo steadied her and instructed, "Don't move, okay? Raph has to cut the tape."

Soon, Raph had her ankles liberated. No longer restrained, Beth gratefully turned around to express her gratitude to him, but it was then when she noticed he held a rather ominous-looking knife. Her eyes widened just a little, so he quickly pocketed the blade into its sheath hanging along his right side. In his other hand, though, he held the remnants of the tape that had bound her legs and wrists together.

Raphael grinned as he balled up the lose bindings and tossed them onto the couch, "Wouldn't be much of a rescue if I cut th'damsel in distress, now, would it?" He quickly retrieved his sai from the same side of his belt and twirled it as if showing off, grinning wider as he did.

She smiled at Raphael and almost laughed, but then a movement behind him at the doorway caught her attention. Beth's eyes suddenly grew wide, almost in fear. As she felt a scream edging its way up to her lips, Leo's hand quickly covered her mouth, "Don't make a sound, Beth, we're kind of exposed here," he whispered.

Trembling more than she had before, Beth shook her head, declaring through Leonardo's fingers as her voice rose in pitch, "But, but, but…he's, he's HERE, HE'S HERE, the one who…"

That was when _leather-man_ stepped over the fallen black-clad ninja in the doorway and walked into Beth's apartment. As he eased into the living room behind Leo's brothers, he glanced once at the girl and sighed. Then, he regarded the two disarmed and unconscious Foot soldiers lying prone and along the floor in front of him.

"Well, fellas, been a while, but seems we haven't lost our touch, eh?" he exclaimed with an air of arrogance.

"What?" Beth exclaimed through Leonardo's hand. She was stunned. This monster knew her friends? This man, this _freak_, knew Leonardo and his brothers? "How…how do you know, I mean, h-h-how?" she stammered, her voice still muffled.

Mikey ignored Beth's exclamations for the moment, as he suddenly slapped the man on the back and then grabbed him in a bear-hug, "Man, Casey, we've missed you! We thought you were _dead_!"

Raph, a questioning quirk edging one corner of his upturned mouth, addressed his friend, "Yeah, bro, where ya been all these years!" Rather than embrace him, though, the way his younger brother, had, Raphael just stood there, arms crossed in front of his plastron in judgment. With one eye ridge cocked suspiciously, "an' why d'ya show up now all of a sudden and here of all places?"

Casey ran a nervous hand through his dark, short cropped hair and then let out an extended sigh. "Kind of a long story, guys…" he said sheepishly, almost apologetically, and that was when he looked over at Beth again. "I was hop'n t'do what I had t'do b'fore catchin' up wit the rest of ya..." He quickly looked back through the doorway as he heard the subtle click of deadbolts disengaging one at a time, "but I think it's best we git someplace less public, know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Donnie relied, "gotcha on that one."

Then he and Mike moved quickly into the hallway, each going to one of the other two tenements, and grasping a door handle. Keeping the handle inert, they effectively kept whoever tried to open their door from doing so. Although there wasn't much they could do about the Foot soldiers lying along the fourth-level floor, Don hoped someone from the other two apartments had already called the police.

Leo then looked at Beth and smiled, but it was a sad kind of smile. Continuing to keep his hand over her mouth, "I'm afraid you're going to have to come with us, Beth." He nodded towards the still unconscious Foot ninja, "They'll come around in a moment. Now that they know that you know us, you won't be safe." Leo watched as Beth's eyes rounded with concern, so he assured her, "Don't worry, Beth; so long as you're with us, you'll be fine."

Then, Casey, with Raph following, and Leo, guiding Beth ahead of him, filed out of her apartment and headed for the stairs. All the while, Beth tried to make sense of what had happened, but one thing was clear. She did not want to go with them if HE was going with them.

She tried her best to cry out, to try to explain things, to get Leo to take his hand from her mouth. She attempted to pull at his arm, to pry his hand from her face, but he had a good hold of her and, reluctantly, she found herself forced to go along. She could do little but comply, too, as Leonardo's momentum and strength effectively pushed her through the hallway and up the steps towards the fifth level.

As she found herself climbing the staircase involuntarily, Beth was more than surprised with Leo's strength and determination; she was stunned.

How could he do this to her, make her do something, forcing her to accompany this – this MAN - of all people? Beth quickly realized that Leonardo was probably clueless. Yet, if her friend truly knew the facts about this 'friend' of his, she doubted very much 'Casey' would live much longer, not if she understood how Leo felt about her.

Once on top the roof and with Mike and Don as rear guard, Raph pointed one of his sai towards the apartments across the alley backing Beth's building. None of them exchanged words, with all six hurrying to the far end of the rooftop without pause. It was obvious that Raph wanted to vacate the area quickly and to get as far away from the brownstone as possible. It was then when Beth felt Leonardo pick her up. She struggled at first, still pretty peeved by his apparent lack of sensitivity – and knowing what he and his brothers were going to do next.

"No, no, you can't make me, please!" she begged through his hand.

"You can't stay here, Beth!" Leo explained sternly, "I don't have much of a choice. You have to go with us."

In the end, she found Leonardo far stronger than the Foot ninja had been, so she resigned herself to his embrace – and held on as if her life depended on it.

When he finally had her firmly in his grasp and with his hand still covering her mouth, Leo began to sprint quickly towards the edge of the roof, beyond where the narrow byway was, five stories below.

Considering she had been unconscious both times she had been with the turtles when they traversed the rooftops, Beth was uncertain what to expect. Still, considering what he had told her a couple of hours earlier, she knew that Leo was going to jump. Before she could express still another muted protest, he suddenly leapt high and wide over the alleyway, sixty feet below his and his brother's hurtling bodies. In fear, Beth squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath, wanting to scream as she and her friends literally flew through the air. She hoped she would zone out, but as luck would have it, she remained conscious. Much to her dismay, Beth was quite alert throughout the jump. Nevertheless, the girl didn't dare look down and instead, she hunkered harder against Leonardo, burying her face into his plastron.

His landing was a little harder than she preferred, but then she knew he had extra weight to compensate for. Still, it was a much softer landing than she expected and for that, she was thankful.

Overall, it beat falling the sixty feet to the alley's pavement below.

The five then continued to run, with Beth still in Leonardo's arms. "Please, let me down, Leo?" she begged at one point, her voice clearly audible through his hand, as he raced across the line of roofs.

"Nuh huh," he said as he jogged, "we can't afford to have you scream and draw attention to us." He looked down at her and then back to his path, leaping over a short dividing wall of two conjoined buildings. As he leveled out again, following Raphael and Casey over the city and with Mike and Don still bringing up the rear, Leo remarked, "I kind of have a feeling what's going on, Beth, but I want to hear Casey's side, okay?"

Shaking her head violently, Beth tried to yell out, but still found her voice stunted behind Leo's hand, "There is no side, Leo; don't you understand?"

"Yeah," he replied, "I do understand." He held her more tightly, now, as he explained, "But Master Splinter taught us to never rely on the obvious. There's always more to the story – and Casey is our friend, he has been for years. He deserves to be heard, regardless of how you see it."

Beth began to cry again, burying her face into Leo's chest. Through her tears, she let the stress of the past few minutes spew forth. There wasn't much she could do, now, not with how determined he held her. She trusted Leo, she really did, but knowing that this man, this _monster_, was a friend of the turtle and his brothers, Beth was more uncertain than before about keeping in contact with him. If it meant having to endure this Casey's presence again, she'd rather slit her wrists and bleed out.

Along the way, Casey directed them towards the harbor area. He didn't explain why, so much, other than…"It'll be the best place for what I have'ta tell all o'ya."

After a while, they finally arrive at the warehouse district along the East River. Beth wasn't sure what Casey had to say, but whatever it was, she was determined to speak her mind. And if she had to slap Leo's hand away from her face to do so, she would. Not even Leonardo would intimidate her to silence! In fact, Beth had realized that she hadn't felt any need to zone out, either, she was so angry.

All through their run, though, it gnawed at Raphael the way Beth had reacted to his friend's arrival, when they were still in her apartment. Many thoughts swam through his head why she would react that way. Beth's behavior wasn't of someone generally afraid of people. Her fear of Casey had more substance than that. And the more Raph thought about why that was, his stomach nearly turned. It didn't take Donatello to explain to Raphael that their long-lost friend had something to do with the girl's past. And, if he had guessed correctly, Raph was going to need a good explanation from the man to keep his sai holstered.

As they settled on one particular warehouse roof, where the shadows were quite deep and where the building faced the harbor - thereby assuring them privacy, Leo finally allowed Beth to stand on her own two feet. As he gently let her down, he still kept his hand over her mouth as he said, "Beth, I'm going to take my hand away and I don't want you to scream, okay?"

Her eyes were wide with uncertainty, for she really couldn't promise Leo any such thing, but Beth finally nodded compliance just the same.

"Okay, now…remember," Leo assured her, "we're not going to let anyone hurt you, not even _Casey_!" He stroked her face with his free hand and smiled.

Nodding again, she closed her eyes and focused on self-control and as Leo slipped his hand off her mouth, she sucked in a deep breath. Then, she quickly moved behind Leonardo, using him as a shield between her and the man they called Casey.

She stared past her friends towards the man they called _their_ friend. Currently, Casey was trying to catch his breath. It was obvious he wasn't in as good a shape as the turtles, as far as stamina was concerned, yet Beth could tell with the way he filled out his jacket that he worked out. For a moment, she continued to watch as he gazed forlornly out over the harbor, seemingly transfixed by the city lights beyond and from where they had started their journey. In that moment, Casey seemed terribly sad to her.

Finally, once she had calmed down, Beth managed to ask, "How – how come you call him 'Casey'?"

Leo turned around to look at her, as he smiled, "It's his name."

"No, it's NOT!" she declared vehemently, her courage and rage growing anew, "His name is Arnold! Arnold Jones, in fact, and he…"

Casey turned around, then, and held up a hand, effectively catching Beth's attention, and quelling whatever she was about to say, "Yes, you are right, Beth," he admitted, taking a single, hesitant step away from her, "and my first name _is_ Arnold. Casey is – just a nickname."

Mike tried to lighten up the obviously oppressively confrontational situation, "Heh, can't blame ya for using Casey, eh, Case?" he chuckled.

The growl was low, menacing, and it built quickly, until Raphael suddenly rushed his friend. The enraged turtle grabbed the man by the back of his jacket, spinning Casey around so quickly the nunchukas flew out of his hand and rolled along the rooftop. "You were the one? You RAPED her?" he bellowed into the man's face, his spittle flying in all directions, as he brought Casey up to face him nose to nose with him.

Don cringed as Raph's words echoed among the warehouses. He looked around worriedly, griping his bo in anticipation, and hoping that they were indeed alone on the docks.

As Casey wiped Raph's slobber off his face and as he swallowed down his dread, he replied tentatively, "Yeeeah, but…"

"No BUTS!" Raph roared, picking the man up by his coat collar in one motion and carrying him quickly over to the edge of the roof, "Ya bettah explain right now why you'd do such a thing, Case, or so help me I'll – I'll bury my sai into ya before droppin' ya in the drink!"

Casey dangled precariously over the lip of the warehouse, his legs bicycling desperately in midair, as he begged, "LEMME EXPLAIN, RAPH! GAWD, LEMME SAY SOMETHIN'!"

"Raph, knock it off, he's our friend," Leo rushed over, and grabbed Raph's arm as he pleaded for Casey's life.

"Not any more, not with th'way he treated BETH!" his brother countered.

"You know there might be a good reason, Raph!"

"What reason is good 'nough, Leo, to beat, rape, and leave fer dead an inn'cent girl like Beth?" Raphael snapped as he glared death-threats at the man in his clutches.

In that moment, Casey began slip from his jacket. Clawing at Raph's arms, he desperately cried out, "Hey, make up yer mind if yer gonna kill me, cuz I'm start'n t'fall outta my coat!"

For a long, pregnant pause, Raph seriously considered following through with his threat. A sinister smile spread along his features, but in the last second before Casey would have slipped free of his jacket to drop into the harbor's dark waters below, Raphael jerked the man back over the roof. No sooner did he have the warehouse directly under him when Casey fell in a crumpling heap along the pea-pebbled rooftop, his coat still firm in Raphael's hands. The man shivered a little, where he had only a t-shirt on, but it was also from the aftermath of seeing his life pass before him, too. He looked up at his friends once more, but then hung his head dejectedly in shame.

Leonardo glanced over at Beth, who now huddled behind Donnie and Mike for protection. Suddenly, the blue-masked turtle stooped down so he could face Casey, while the man huddled in defeat. Noticing the man's expression, Leo saw 'fear' and 'remorse' there. It was obvious to him that there was more to Casey than what he did to Beth, and Leo wanted to understand, to find out why his friend had done what he did to the girl.

As Leo gave him a pointed glare, he saw Casey's eyebrows furrow worriedly. Yes, the man now feared for his life. Casey understood honor and what it oftentimes required, his time with his mutant ninja friends teaching him as much. Still, Leonardo would hear his explanation; he would give Casey Jones a chance to explain himself – even if in the end they would have to give Beth justice the ninjitsu way.

"So, Casey," Leo cocked his head a little, his expression far more serious than his posturing said, "why don't you explain where you've been all these years…and why - you assaulted our _friend_?"


	42. Casey in Blunderland

**Disclaimer – **_Well, I'm back from all my travels and parent-related responsibilities. My adult kids are home again full time again, so updates won't be as forth coming as they had been before. _

_In either event, our friend - Casey Jones – has a story to tell. I'm a little iffy how best to present it, too (in typed form) and at first I had it italicized. But, I have 'thoughts' italicized, so at the last minute, I went with the standard quotes. I decided to present it this way after it was beta-read. Speaking of which, a great big thanks and hug to **Reluctant Dragon**, who graciously took time from her school studies to beta read my story. Thanks, RD:0)_

_Just the same, I'm a little concerned that Casey's account might be a little long-winded, but I need to get him to a particular point so that the next chapter has a bit more impact. I hope, anyway. :0)_

_In either event, once more and as before I don't own the TMNT's or any other character related to them and copyrighted under Eastman & Laird, Mirage Studio, 4KidsTV, or any other corporation heading that are obviously making big bucks from our green guys in a half-shell. _(Rein takes a big breath)

_Oh, and thanks to all those who keep reading, too, especially to those who took the time to leave a review. Hey, that rhymes! LOL_

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

**Chapter 42 – Casey in Blunderland**

As Casey kneeled along the pea-gravel rooftop of the warehouse, the pebbly surface cut unforgiving into his jean-covered knees. Still, he would prefer his current discomfort than to endure what justice his old friends exacted from him on Beth's account. Hopefully, he might even live long enough to find out how they crossed paths with Beth in the first place.

Nevertheless, his plans for the evening had taken a surreal turn

_Jus' my luck!_ he moaned to himself, _that my assignments fer t'night would end up knowin' each othah._

As Casey looked up at Raphael and saw his old friend's steely gaze, he couldn't help but shudder. Maybe it was because of the cool night breeze blowing in from the harbor, as it knifed through his thin t-shirt, or maybe it was because he knew his life was on the line. Either way, as he endured the deathly silence following Leo's pointed question, Casey wrapped his arms protectively around himself to keep warm.

Then, with his head bowed, he sighed, saying softly, as he broke the silence, "Ya wanted to know what happened? Well it all began th'night we…we found her."

Casey's throat constricted, now, as he remembered how April had died. A renewed grief-stricken cry, stirred awake by the awful memory of April's death, worked its way to Casey's mouth. But, he took another shaky breath and managed to hold it back. For just a moment and though he still found it difficult to talk, the effect calmed his broken heart.

Once again, a silence thick with apprehension spilled over the roof of the old warehouse. It seemed to strangle itself around the small cluster of mutants and humans as Casey struggled for words. He tried again to say something, but it proved impossible as another stunted cry suddenly caught in his throat. Closing his eyes tight in order to prevent the flood of tears from spilling forth, he found himself fighting for control once more.

As Raph watched the man, the red-banded turtle had all he could do to keep from grabbing him and flinging the vigilante into the East River behind him – excuse or no excuse. But, 'Fearless Leader' had dictated their long-lost 'comrade in arms' would have his say and, so, Raphael gave a rare act of obedience to Leo's will.

For now, Casey would live.

Opposite from Raphael stood Leonardo. As the blue-banded turtle crouched supportively next to their friend, he rested his elbows on his knees. Leo propped his chin to fisted hands as he intently studied the man's expression. He wanted to discern Casey's sincerity and frowned, almost in sympathy, because what Leo saw before him was a beaten man. This Casey was definitely not the Casey Jones of old. The vigilante's haggard expression, lined with scars he didn't remember, was the most riveting sign for the turtle; it showed utter defeat. To Leo, Casey appeared as someone who had been to hell and back again.

Just the same, many thoughts muddled the turtle's mind. Yet the one that bothered Leo the most was, of all people, how could their friend do to Beth what Casey apparently did? It just didn't make any sense, not with the way Leo knew him. It was a foregone fact that Casey hated punks who preyed on innocent women, so, if that was true, then why would he become the very thing he loathed?

Certainly, this was testing Leonardo's sense of fairness and honor, and, like Raphael, he wanted justice for the girl. However, to do so without hearing Casey's explanation would be an even bigger injustice. He was their friend and because of that, he had earned their audience.

Simply put and regardless of how he felt for Beth, Leonardo would listen to the man's explanation and then decide later what to do with him.

Thinking back to Casey's close kinship with Raphael, though, Leo glanced up at his brother in red. He could only imagine the disappointment Raph was feeling now. The murderous expression glazing his brother's face told Leonardo that, unless Casey explained himself and convincingly, too, the vigilante wouldn't leave the warehouse district alive.

As he stood there opposite Leo and with one ready hand on the hilt of his sai, Raph dearly wanted to end Casey's life. After getting to know Beth and her circumstances surrounding her affliction, Raphael's mindset was on keeping her safe. If Casey was indeed Beth's rapist from years earlier, then he didn't have any business being at her apartment at all. That alarmed Raph quite a bit and he had all he could do to suppress his rage.

Yes, maybe he and Casey had a lot in common and maybe they were brothers in spirit at one time, but something had changed the vigilante. Despite his earlier attempt to toss Casey into the river below them, Raphael, like Leo, wanted to know how and why that was.

Curiously, Raphael gave a sideways glance towards the girl, still standing by his other brothers. He easily noticed her frightened countenance. Her fear was so palatable to him, that the turtle could almost taste it. He growled inwardly, knowing Beth's fear was because of his friend.

Raph then quickly assessed her, concerned that she would zone out as she had done before. So far, though, she seemed stable enough. Where she had stayed conscious during the fight back in her apartment, she had impressed him. It was quite the contradiction with how Beth behaved the first time the two had met. In fact, he rather liked this version of her.

Raph chuckled to himself and knew that if she could avoid going catatonic for as long as she did during the battle at her apartment, Beth stood a good chance of overcoming her problem.

It was in that moment when she glanced over at the red-masked mutant. He gave her a brief nod and a slight smile, receiving in kind a smaller affirming expression from her. However, it faded quickly as Beth's eyes drew back to the man in question again, the '_monster'_ responsible for upturning her life – Arnold Casey Jones.

As she continued to stand behind Don and Mike and use them as her shield, Beth observed the inquisition. Even though he was several yards from where she stood, Casey still seemed far too close for her liking. Beth's only consolation was her mutant friends' skill with martial arts. She was confident that if he had a mind to hurt her, Casey wouldn't even get to his feet. At least, not before Raphael skewered him with his sai and pitched Casey into the dark waters of the East River beyond.

Then, all of a sudden, the sound of Casey's voice broke the silence and ripped Beth's attention from her train of thought. She flinched instinctively and held her breath. Swallowing hard, Beth stared fearfully at the man, her eyes large and expecting.

As he began to speak, Casey's words seemed to catch the attention from everyone else, as well. He looked over at Leo, "R'member how we searched everywhere for April, lookin fer 'er in every ally, dump and trash bin, but…we didn't find nuttin' for days – not even a scrape of clothin'?" He glanced upwards at Raph next, hoping for some measure of understanding, only to meet his friend's enraged eyes. Casey sighed, realizing the futility of such hope. Dropping his head again, he whispered, "Just 'bout drove me insane." He paused for a moment, though, as emotions spilled over him again, stunting his voice once more.

Hearing Casey's voice again almost overwhelmed Beth. He seemed so different, now, than how he sounded years earlier, when he sat in court during her rape trial. Back then and during the proceedings, his voice seemed raspy and strained whenever he spoke; as if talking wasn't something that he did very often. He almost appeared slightly brain-damaged, too, from whatever substance abuse he had practiced at the time. In fact, it was his drug and drinking habits his defense attorney used to explain his attack on Beth. Based on how his lawyer presented it, because of Casey's muddled mental state, he had been unaware of his actions against Beth at the time. Even Casey's subdued voice, seemingly soft with contrition, implied as much. Yet, it did little good and in the end, the judge sentenced him to prison.

And, if Beth remembered correctly, he should still be in prison, too, if not for the letter explaining why. It seemed that whatever changes Casey had gone through these past five years, it was obvious that he had impressed someone enough to solicit for his early release.

Now, as she assessed the man's deep, baritone voice, she took note that it was soft with contrition, even remorseful – and not the same as it was years earlier.

It briefly surprised the girl.

Nevethteless, as she stood there behind Mike and Don and recalled what Casey did to her, Beth knew she could never forget that Arnold 'Casey' Jones was the one who had ruined her life. Remembering this simple fact only renewed her hate for the man all over again and in that moment, as far as Beth was concerned, Casey could go to hell and she wouldn't give him a second thought.

Casey soon found his voice again, with its rich, baritone texture breaking the silence once more, "Afteh a while – I…I think it was the two week mark, I'd given up hope of evah seein' April again. But when Mikey called and said he'd found'er, I wanted to sprout wings and shoot over there as fast as I could." Casey looked into Leonardo's eyes and saw a measure of understanding there. Encouraged, he continued, "I didn't catch how sad Mike sounded on the phone. I totally missed it. Still, I couldn't get there fast enough. All that mattered t'me was that he found 'er!" Casey's expression tightened and his eyes pooled with tears, as he choked out, "I couldn't believe what those creeps did t'her, though, mangling her like that, abusing her the way they did." His voice trembled, noe, from pent up rage, with anger edging his words, "I could'a torn the city in half." He looked up at the blue-masked turtle, "We didn't get the happy endin', did we, Leo? We _failed_ April and in the _worse_ poss'ble way."

Raph shuffled a bit on his feet but still managed to steel himself against Casey's words. For just a moment, hearing his friend's recollected account about how they had found April, rekindled his own grief. Nevertheless, he persevered, forcing back the lump forming in his throat. He gave a quick, sideways glance towards his two brothers standing near Beth, to see how they were reacting. Not surprisingly, he saw Mike swipe at his snout with the back of his hand, all too aware of how they had found April since he had found her first, while Don swallowed hard.

Even after seven years, the pain was still fresh.

_If only Case understood what we truly lost that day, t'do what he did t'Beth, Casey should commit seppuku! It just ain't right, _the turtle in red grumbled to himself.

Then, a low growl broke the stillness again, only this time it wasn't from Raphael. As the sharp enunciation of Casey's next words grounded out, he had center stage once again, "Right aftah her family buried April, I dedicated m'life to findin' the lowlifes responsible fer her death. I wasn't goin' t'stop until I brought justice to her." His breathing ragged, now, Casey balled his fists in anger, "I looked **everywhere**, in **every** alley, **every** warehouse – whether abandoned or not – and I must've beat up **every** punk this side a'Jersey just t'find out who it was that'd killed her." He shook his head, "But, no mattah who I found or talked to or knocked senseless, no one knew." He looked up into Leonardo's eyes, then, as he remarked, "Oh, you and me both know it was the Foot, but they can't be Foot twenty-four seven, if ya get my drift. Someone's gonna talk at some point, crow on about how they finally got back at ya an' – an' me." Casey swallowed then, as he nearly whispered, "After a month or two of this, I finally realized that whoever it was, they were keeping tight lipped about it. Maybe that was their intention; kill off April and then fold in on themselves, just so's we can't get revenge." He glanced at Raphael, "I think you can understand how frustrating THAT could be, eh, bro?"

"Yer not my **bro** – anymore!" Raph spat, whipping out his sai as he leaned into Casey's face, "I know all too well what HAPPENED, Case. What I don't know is what happened to ya to go and hurt someone as innocent as **_Beth_**?"

Casey met his friend's gaze and then sighed as he explained, "Yeah, 'bout that…well…ya see, aftah I realized I wasn't gonna get anythin' from runnin' all oveh New York or beatin' heads in, I didn't know what else t'do. I was – frustrated." He took in a deep breath, "I was still grievn', too. I just couldn't get rid of the picture in my mind, how Ap looked when we found her; hands a bloody mess with her fingers missin', her face all bruised and puffed up so bad, we barely recognized 'er." Shaking his head again, Casey admitted, "So I decided to get away, go to th'farm, hang out a while, try to…forget…only, I – couldn't forget."

Casey's head then drooped even more as he sniffed, "I had nightmares for weeks an' I don't think I slept much, eitheh. After a couple o'months, I couldn't take it anymore. There were mem'ries of her at the farm, too, mem'ries she made, and they haunted me non-stop. Couldn't get away from 'em and it seemed April was tellin' me from the grave that I wasted my time _takin'_ my time tell'n 'er how much I loved'er." He looked up at Leo again, "I came close a couple times of tellin' her, but I always…well, chickened out. Still should've told her how I felt, before she died, she would've at least died knowin' that." His breathing hitched as he remarked, "I…I regret that most…of all."

Now, Raphael growled low, thoroughly offended by Casey's last comment. Still, Leonardo only had to raise a hand to give his brother a warning look, though, in order to silence him. He then turned his attention back to Casey again and implored, "Go on, Case, we'll listen to you."

Casey paused, somewhat unsure, but only for a moment. He then continued, "Anyways, after I'd been at the old farmhouse fer a while, one night I went t'town fer supplies, thinkin' I'd hole up just a while longer. The thought of goin' back to th'city almost made me sic, and I thought that if I just stayed away, maybe her ghost would get tired a'me an' leave."

Casey now gazed out across the darkened harbor, towards the bejeweled city of New York, "that's…when I decided a good bottle o'whiskey might help. I never did believe in drowning one's sorrows, but – I had never lost anyone like we did with April. As it turned out, I ended up buying more than one bottle," he chuckled derisively, "Bought me an entire case, in fact. 'Had the money, after all. April's last will and testament did me well, so I thought I'd toast her life. An', as big a life as she had, I did it equal justice, too."

Casey Jones continued to stare across the ebony waters of the East River, ignoring the inquisitors and his victim's angry stare, as he launched into his story…

………..

"After I began drinkin' I remember very little about m'stay at the farm, cuz I was drunk most of the time. I liked the fact that when I was drunk, I'd forget about 'er. Anyway, that case I bought only lasted 'bout a couple a'weeks and then I had to back to th'store fer more. Then, I'd begin the process all over again.

"All that time, though, I kept think'n 'bout her last words, 'bout how she said she never gave in to 'them'. Those words haunted me the most. I don't know if they would have spared her life had she told 'em where ya lived, but a part of me wish she had. I think we could'a handled the Foot better than losin' April.

"Anyway, I must've cut myself a few times, too. When I'd sober up, I had lacerations on my arms and face and legs. I noticed some of th' empties that had broken and littered the downstairs like landmines. Amazin' I didn't cut an artery or somethin' and bleed out." Casey's voice softened and he glanced over at Beth, "All things considered, it might've been bettah if I had."

Casey resumed his story telling, then, "I think I must have had raging fits, too, 'cuz most of the furniture was busted. Always found somethin' broke whenever the booze wore off and, of course, it only made me drink again, jus' t'ferget.

"One day, several months after I settled in at the farm, I had a thought. It was like an epiph'ny. I was my usual drunken self, but I knew I needed to go back t'New York. I kept think'n about all those times Raph and me would run across the city, bustin' up drug deals, savin' ladies from muggin's or… worse, and just havin' a good ol'time knockin' heads around. I kept wonderin' how you four – er, five – were doin', wonderin' if maybe Master Splinter would be able to help me understand why we had to lose Ap. I missed his lectures, ya know."

Leonardo smiled a bit and he barely caught the faintest of quirks along Raphael's mouth. But the line along Raph's lipless maw straightened once again to the no-nonsense expression he was sporting for the past few minutes. Both brothers turned their attention back to Casey, again, as the man continued with his story…

"Then, I realized that I was bein' kinda selfish, where it was you four who introduced me t'April in the first place. You'd have more reason to mourn her passin' than I did; she was your closest human friend, the first of my species to accept ya. That's when I decided t'sober up. Must have downed two pots of coffee and prob'ly made a dozen trips to the bathroom 'fore I felt half-way sober, 'nuff ta drive reasonably straight. That was when I decided t'go back to New York and try t'find you guys. So, I packed my gear into the truck, took one last look at the place, and headed out, leavin' my bottles behind.

"Guess I wasn't as sober as I should've been, though, cuz I wasn't more than an hour on the road when I found myself rollin' the truck into a ditch. Funny thing is, I clearly remembeh how surprised I was, wonderin' if maybe I got t-boned or somethin'. I don't really recall how it happened, but I do remember the ride, and it wasn't anythin' I'd want to repeat again, lemme tell ya. Made me so dizzy I felt like puking!"

Mike muffled an amused bark of laughter, clasping a hand over his mouth as Leo shot him a warning glare. The turtle in orange only shrugged in response as he said, "Sorry."

Once more, Casey continued talking…

"Either way, I don't remembah what happened after that since I was sort of knocked out. Guess I was lucky, too. My safety belt saved m'life. Don't know why I belted myself in, since I never made a habit of it before, but maybe April was watching out fer me, ya know? Maybe she put it in my head t'buckle up.

"When I finally woke up, though, I found myself in a hospital. My whole body felt bruised all over - and it ached, 'specially my back, but the doctor said it wasn't anything serious. Prob'ly bruised muscles to go wit my concussion, but nuttin' that would warrant a longer hospital stay, so he released me. Gave me some strong painkillers fer my back, too, but if ya know anythin' about drugs mixin' with an alcohol-saturated body, it's a done deal pain pills would become my best friend in a hurry. I was feelin' pretty sorry fer myself, too, and still grievin' over losin' April.

"Anyway, with my truck beyond repair, I used whateveh money I had left and hunkered down again, this time in a cheap motel. I hoped that I'd recover enough to take a bus to the city. I knew bettah, too, than mixing alcohol with those pills, so I quit drinkin' but – like I said –my body was already pickled. Those pills only brought me a new kind of oblivion.

"I must have stayed a couple of months, but I didn't get any better, except for what relief the pills gave me. So, I ended up runnin' out of money pretty quick and soon found m'self out on my rear. The motel manager didn't take kindly to loafers and I found m'self hitchin' a ride to the big city still in pain. Right after I got t'New York, I lost my last bottle of 'heaven'- must of left it on the bus - and before long I felt the jitters. The pain came back worse that before, too, and I thought fer sure I'd lose my mind.

"It didn't take long fer me to realize I had a problem, but without any money, I didn't have any way t'get help. All I could think of was getting' me some pills to dull the pain."

Casey looked up at his friends again and sighed, then moved on to the rest of his story.

"I thought of callin' you guys, but I was ashamed with my condition. Didn't want to burden you more than you already were, 'bout losin' April and all. I figured the last thing you needed was a pain-riddled alcoholic on yer hands, a li'bil'ty. So, I found me a cardboard box in an alley I knew none of you used and thought maybe I could beat the demon on m'own, so to speak.

"You know, it's amazin' what a person'll do who's desperate. The DT's wouldn't go away an' they got worse wit each passing moment, it seemed. If that guy hadn't taken a wrong turn into the alley where I was, I think I might have beaten it, but – well – he seemed wealthy enough to have cash on him – an' I desperately needed cash to get the drugs – so, I swallowed my pride an' – mugged him. Neveh thought I'd eveh do somethin' like that, but – well – as I said, I was desperate. That was when I wished I'd died in that accident.

"Funny thing is, once you do something like what I did, the next time ain't so hard. Afteh I bought my meds, I had t'change living quarters. The police prob'ly already had a report from th'guy and in a small way, I was glad. I mean, at least I didn't kill him, ya know? Still, I didn't waste time feelin' too guilty. Last thing I needed was getting' tossed inta jail. It'd be just m'luck they'd bunk me in with some punk I'd help put away.

"I also found that those meds I bought off the supplier were different somehow. Stronger, I think, because I needed more of them more frequently. Yeah, should'a known betteh than to buy from some street vendor, but – I was desperate fer pain relief.

"Anyways, I found me a niche in the park, somewheres away from where most of th'people gathered; must have lived that way fer a good year. No one eveh discovered me; I was careful 'bout that. I'd find all kinds of change and lost bills in the park, too, which limited how many times I'd have t'mug someone or pick pocket. I always did my 'work' well away from Central, though, since I didn't want t'change 'addresses' all the time. You guys taught me well enough 'bout usin' shadows and how to slip away unseen."

A low sudden growl now came from Raphael as he interrupted Casey's account. He roared angrily, as spittle sprayed in all directions, "**It's not why we taught ya that, brain-dead**!"

"I know that, Raph," Casey admitted softly, "and I'm sorry for dishonorin' ninjitsu like I did, but ya have to understand…" but Raphael's sudden rage cut him off again.

"**I only understand**," the ninja roared, his right hand grabbing and hefting the man to a stand with one single fluidic motion, "**that you raped and almost killed an innocent girl!**" He then had the point of his left sai at the man's throat before Leo or anyone else could stop him, "**No excuse, not even drugs**. And you **ADMIT** to wanting to **DIE**? Well, lemme be the first t'help with that, **Case**!"

Casey's eyes went wide – as did Beth's – while everyone else scrambled desperately towards Raphael.


	43. Exculpation

_**Disclaimer - **Don't own them, I'm only borrowing, please don't' sue me. Um, what else, oh, yeah, thanks to all who have faithfully read and reviewed! I know it's been a long ride, folks, but I think I can see the end in the distance. Wait…ah dang, that's only another plot bunny. (Rein runs and hides) _

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**Chapter 43 - Exculpation **

Leo leapt up and grabbed onto Raphael's weapon arm, as his other two brothers rushed in to help. Now, the three struggled to keep Raph from impaling their friend, Casey Jones. In response, Raphael growled out a run-on line of profane complaints.

Meanwhile, Beth stared wide-eyed at the scene before her, mute with shock. She didn't react when Mike and Don left her side to assist Leo, though. All Beth could do was to stand there on the warehouse roof, frozen in place, and watch as three brothers battled one to prevent him from disemboweling the very man who had raped her.

In all honesty, Beth felt that Casey deserved it, yet she had also listened with rapt attention to his story. It was just something about his explanation that had tugged at her heart and it confused her terribly.

She should hate the man, wish for his death, and even encourage Raph to toss him into the river.

Yet she knew that something seemed unfinished, something that Casey Jones had yet to say - and where her own father never had a chance to say his last words to _her_…

"**No, don't kill him, please - don't kill him**!" she cried out suddenly.

Four brothers paused in their struggle, turning their attention to her, with shock and surprise clearly on their face. Casey didn't react, but hung limply in Raphael's grasp. Eyes closed, he seemed to have resigned himself to his fate.

"**What**?" Raph bellowed in conflict, as he glared back at Beth, "how can you say that, when this scumbag did what he did to you?"

Beth trembled, now, afraid yet determined, "I know, but he…he hasn't _finished_ his story."

"Finished WHAT? What more can he say? It's enough t'know, Beth, that he **raped** you!" Raph shook from the sheer rage coursing through him, his grip on his 'friend' tightening.

Despite Leo's strong hold of his brother's arm, Raphael's sai pressed harder into Casey, now. The man sucked in a startled breath as the middle prong of the weapon pressed against his gut, his t-shirt puckering around it in response.

"I…I want to know, I **have** to know, _please_…it's…important," Beth begged, taking a single and pleading step towards the group, her hands outstretched in supplication.

Raph snarled; his mind in full-on blood lust, his eyes large and threatening. This caused the girl to shrink back a little.

In that moment, Leo took advantage of the interruption, his voice soft yet insistent as he tried to reason with his enraged brother, "Yes, Raphael, we need to hear Casey out, he needs to tell his story…" he looked at the man hanging limp in his brother's arms and asked, "is there more to tell, Casey?"

Dejectedly, Casey didn't respond immediately. Snorting indignantly, Raph shook him and brought the man's face nose to muzzle with his, "Speak now or so help me, Case, or I'll shove my sai straight through ya!"

Gulping nervously, Casey nodded, too subdued with his close encounter with death to do anything else.

"**Fine**!" Raph grouched, shoving the man back down onto the gravely rooftop, "say what ya gotta say, but be quick 'bout it, 'cuz I'm losin' **patience**, in case ya haven't noticed."

Slumped into a heap, Casey looked up, "Doesn't matter, yer gonna kill me anyway," and hung his head again.

"No," Beth's voice sang out, as she took yet another step, "Raph won't kill you." She then glared at the turtle in challenge, and he gave her an angry frustrated scowl in reply. Satisfied, Beth said as she looked back at the man again, "I…I want to hear, please."

Casey stole a glance at the girl, his voice soft and subdued, "Ya heard it at the trial, didn't ya?"

Beth thought about that and nodded, "Yes, but…I want to hear it again. Much has happened since that time," she looked over at Leo and smiled a little, before gazing once again at Casey, "And I've found out a lot about myself. I…I need to hear it one more time - from you."

Casey swallowed once before saying, "Okay, but my version's a little different now, since my head's not as muddled as it was then. I've had some time to think about…some things." He could see Raph relax a little more. Casey almost breathed a sigh of relief, too, when his old friend sheathed his weapon back into his belt.

Taking a deep breath, Casey then began…

"Well, after a while, those painkillers just didn't do the trick by themselves. I had to have something else…something stronger and I knew…I knew I was hooked, addicted." He chuckled lightly, "Funny thing about addictions, you know you have a problem, but you don't want to stop it. It was terrifying to think 'bout living in pain the rest of my life like that." Casey sighed, "And I honestly believed I would, too. Wasn't until I went t'prision and had a doctor look at me to find out I had a slipped disc. A little chiropractic work and some physical therapy and I was good as new."

"So glad to see how our _taxes_ are bein' used." Raph drawled.

"Raph, we don't pay taxes," Don corrected.

Raph turned on his brother, "It was a** rhetor'cal** statement, computer-_brain_!"

"Raphael, just shut it, let Casey talk," Leo said pointedly. He stared his brother down and when Raph _harrumphed_, Leo motioned to his friend to continue.

"Anyways," Casey said, "I had t'do more pick pocketin' and stuff like that t'get money fer my fix. Every once in a while, though, I'd find drug money from some sap who had dropped it and that would tie me over nicely, but then I started drinkin', too, which only worsened the affect the drugs had on me. Sort of let myself go, too, hair got long and shaggy and had a beard, now, cuz I didn't have any means or desire t'shave. Ap wouldn't have even recognized me.

"Well, one afternoon and higher'n a kite 'cause I'd been drinkin', holed up in m'carton in some dense brush, I new I needed more money, knew that even in my dippy state. Anyways, I sees this girl comin' and she looked rich enough. But, right 'bout then, I started havin' a flashback of sorts, a hallucinatin' illusion. She was wearin' black, even had a black hat on."

Beth gave a slight, affirming nod, remembering what it was that she wore that fateful day.

Casey continued, though, either unaware or ignoring her gesture, "Don't know why she was there, it wasn't like a lot of people came by that way; s'why I chose that spot in the first place. Anyways, before I know it, I'm seein' her as one of the Foot, I think she's just out for a stroll, you know, doing non-Foot stuff, her time off from work, so t'speak. I'd had dreams off an' on about all the battles Raph and me had wit dem bums, so I see her comin' and I knows - I _knows_ I hafta do somethin'. That's when I decide t'act th' part of th' wounded animal to lure her to me. I figure, she's a gal, must have some heart, right?

"Well, just as I expected, she investigates and that's when I grabbed her, dragged her into m'carton, hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream. I was goin' t'kill her outright, but what they did to April, the way they beat her, cut her fingers off, and who knows what other violations they might have done t'her, I decided right then and there to…" Casey looked forlornly over at Beth, his eyes misting just a little, "Forgive me, please, I was outta my mind," he sobbed once, before saying, his voice cracking, "I…I decided to even th'score, t'get…the justice Ap never got. I…raped the girl." He scrunched his face at the word, as detested by his actions in the same way his friends were. He looked up at Beth again, "It wasn't until after I stabbed you, after the police caught me, that I learned you weren't anythin' like the Foot. You were a…an innocent." Casey slumped further into himself, spent beyond his stamina, crying softly into his chest as he hung his head.

A heavy silence fell over the tight-knit group as the man sat there. Not a word did anyone speak, but all eyes were on Casey - especially Beth's.

Then, after a moment, Casey remarked, "I never expected t'get outta jail so soon, but I wasn't goin' t'argue. I had ta see you, t'apologize. I know I shouldn't have been anywheres close to your apartment, but - I just had to tell ya how sorry I was. After that…" Casey's voice trailed off for a moment, but then he looked up at Leo, "after that, I was gonna go visit my friends, enjoy a bit of reunion with them, and - tell them where I'd been an'…an' why." He looked up at Raphael now, "I know the penalty for doing what I did to her, Raph, I know about your honor system. And…I didn't want to live anymore, anyways, knowin' what I did to Beth, living without Ap, knowing I dishonored and insulted everythin' you guys taught me, what Splinter taught me." Casey sighed, "Jail time showed me what I needed to do. So, do what ya have t'do t'me, what your Bushido code demands. I'm…ready."

Leonardo graced Casey's shoulder with a hand and bowed his head, said nothing, and then stood up. He made eye contact with Raph, then Donnie, and finally Mike, a silent conversation passing between them. Leonardo gave a quick glance towards Beth and then bowed his head once. Next, he reached up behind him and unsheathed his sword, the metal 'shring' of the blade breaking the oppressive silence. At the same time, Raphael grabbed Casey by the back of his shirt and dragged him over to the edge of the roof, where thirty feet below the waters of the East River flowed.

Leo followed, as did Mike and Don.

Casey never once flinched or resisted.

Leo uttered a phrase in Japanese, bowed and then he raised his sword over the man. At the same time, Raph released Casey, stepped back, and bowed as well. Don and Mike offered the same formality. Casey huddled even more, now, wrapping his arms around himself, as he gave a small, resigned bow of his head. He stared straight down at the dark river flowing below him; knowing what was to come.

However, in that moment between earth and sky, between life and death, a voice cried out, desperate and pleading.

"NO! **STOP**…" Beth cried as she rushed towards the scene, "you can't kill him like that!" She was by Leo's side in an instant, grabbing onto his sword-arm, trying to hold him back, "Please, Leo, this is crazy, you just can't kill him." She looked full into his profiled face, her eyes wide and desperate.

Leonardo turned to her, his expression as cold as stone, "Why not, he raped you, stabbed you, left you for dead."

"But, I _didn't_ die, Leo, I _lived_," Beth replied hurriedly.

"Did you?" Leo cocked his head a little and asked, "Did you live, Beth, or did you die that day, that part of who you were, before Casey attacked you, dying to the world. You turned your back on life, on living, because of him!" He shook his head, "What Casey did to you, Beth, forced you to hide away." He sighed solemnly, his voice a bare whisper, "He…deserves to die, Beth."

"No, he…he doesn't." Beth looked down at the man and then back to Leo, "I chose to turn my back on the world. I could have gotten help, counseling, like what Splinter tried to do for me."

"And, now?" Leo asked as he lowered his sword, "Do you want to get help, to learn to live again."

"Yes, yes, of course I do, you know that, Leo?" Beth nodded and closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, "But…" she looked down at Casey again, "I'll never be able to sleep at night if you kill him."

Raph growled out, "Maybe I understand how and why Casey did what he did to ya, now, but he shouldn't have done it. He still has to pay, Beth, he still has to bring honor back to you."

Don and Mikey both looked at her, both nodding in agreement. Mike remarked, "Yeah, Dudette, Casey deserves punishment. What he did to you…"

Don finished, "Was unforgivable."

Beth shook her head, slowly at first as if disbelieving what her friends were saying and what they were planning to do. Then, her negative gesture grew more determinedly as it dawned on her that they were actually going to execute this man, this man who, had it not been for the drugs and alcohol or his grief, wouldn't have even been there in the park in the first place. In fact, if he had made it to New York City without incident, Casey would have reunited with his friends and Beth knew how much they had all suffered with April's passing. Having Casey around would have made it easier to cope.

Suddenly, she looked down at the man and saw how beaten he was, a man who now trembled uncontrollably, and Beth wondered if it was because he was cold or because he feared for his life. Yet, didn't he want to die just a moment ago? Wasn't Casey so remorseful for his actions that living wasn't an option anymore? Maybe, if given a choice, he would want to live?

"I…" she began, her voice quaking, emotions spilling forth, tears streaming down her face, "I…think he's already paid. He's lost someone very dear to him, he's lost his self-respect, and it's obvious that he's…agonized over what he did to me." She didn't know why, but Beth found herself kneeling beside the man, no longer afraid, "I…forgive you, Casey Arnold Jones."

He turned a tear-stained face towards the girl, the very one who should be demanding his death, not begging for his life. He shook his head, suppressing a sob, "No, you can't forgive someone like me, I'm - I'm a scumbag, just like Raph said."

Shrugging, Beth replied, as she smiled a little, "Doesn't mean you can't be forgiven and I forgive you." She stood up and faced Leo, positioning herself between him and Casey Jones, "I forbid you to kill him, Leonardo. You may think he deserves to die," she turned to face the other three brothers and then gave Raphael a hardened glare, "and maybe he does - according to your code of honor…" Beth glanced down once more at the man, still huddled, yet not trembling so much, "but this is my honor, my justice that we're talking about and it's within my right to forgive him." Beth shot a look at Leo, "And people who are forgiven should _not_ be executed!"

Leonardo let out a long-held breath - and smiled, "I'm glad you feel that way, Beth, because I would have hated to have killed Casey - If I had, I don't think I would have slept much at night, either." As Beth sighed in relief, Leo looked over at Raphael, "Satisfied, dear brother?"

"Whatever, but he's on my watch-list from now on," Raph grabbed Casey by his shirt, again, and hauled him up to a stand, "Remembeh, I'll be watchin' you! Go near Beth's apartment, I'll know. Do drugs again - or even _drink_ - I'll know. Consider yerself on the probation from hell, Case!"

Casey gave an exhausted smile, "Thanks, Raph, yer the best friend I eveh had."

"Yeah, no problem."

Leo then took a hold of Beth's hand and led her away from the group. When they were about fifteen yards from the others, he stopped and turned her so that she faced him, "You do know that Casey's violated probation."

"Yes, I figured as much, but…" Beth soon found Leo's fingers against her mouth, effectively quieting her.

"But you don't have to report him, if you don't want to," he smiled.

"I won't…but I don't want him around me, either," Beth sighed, "As it is, I think it's going to take some time before I can even get myself back to normal again."

"Not so much time, I think you're ready," Leo assured. He stared at her for a long moment, taking her in. Then, his peripheral vision caught the hugs Mike and Don were giving Casey. Raph, as always, stood off to one side; hand on the hilt of one sai, a slight smile crossing his face as he watched his two brothers welcome Casey back. Inwardly, Leo smiled - their friend had finally come home. A little scuffed up maybe, a little scarred emotionally, but he was finally back.

Leo suddenly cupped Beth's face with both hands, his thumbs working gently along each side of her temples.

Beth reached up to grasp his leather-bound wrists. "What…are you doing, Leo," she asked. feeling herself getting a bit fuzzy in the brain, drifting, fading.

"I want you to know that I _love_ you," and he leaned in and kissed her, deep.

In that moment, Beth's equilibrium went screwy. All time fell away from her mind, the events from moments before fluxing and bending. She recalled scenes of waking up in the lair, of Leo by her side, of Splinter talking to her, of her attempt to finding her own way home only to get lost in the tunnels, all blending together in a mosaic pattern of events. Beth felt herself drifting, floating, and then…

She was back on the rooftop again, with Leo and his brothers. She smiled sheepishly at her friend.

Leo studied her for a moment, and then, "It was a brave thing for you to forgive Casey, considering what he did to you and all; not many people would." He smiled then, "I think you're on the right road to recovery. Bitterness comes from not forgiving. So long as you feared him, so long as you kept remembering what Casey did to you, rather than letting the memory stay where it belonged - in the past - you were never going to get better."

"You sound just like Splinter!" Beth teased, grinning.

"Do I, now? Imagine that!" Leo laughed. He looked over to where his brothers were and noticed Casey walking off.

Beth followed his gaze and when she saw the man heading for the far end of the rooftop, she asked, "Where is he going?"

Leo smiled, "Probably as far away from you as he can get." Then, he noticed Raph walking towards him, with Mike and Don following from behind.

With a grin on his face, Raph remarked, "Case is gonna go back to th'farm. He has a little cleaning up to do with all those bottles and stuff, but I think he'll make it." He looked at Beth, "Brave thing ya did back there, Beth. Don't know if I could forgive like that, but - well..." He broke off and then addressed Leonardo, "Okay, fearless leader, what d'we do about Beth, now? Can't let her go back t'her apartment. Foot are already aware that she knows us."

"Yeah, about that…" Leo looked at Beth again, "I'd invite you to stay with us, but…I honestly believe you'll have better success with healing if you were in your own place."

Don interjected, "We could always rig her apartment with a warning system."

Raph shook his head, "Th'lair's too far fer us to get there in time. Won't work."

As the two of them continued to discuss options, Don's security measures to Raph's more pessimistic opinion, Mike watched, quite amused with his two siblings. He smiled wide, wider than he had in a long time. It was enough that Casey was back, that Leo was his old self again, and that maybe things could get back to normal once more. The only missing ingredient was April, of course, but Mike was certain she would approve of Beth, if Beth became a fixture in their lives. He knew that Leo approved, if the kiss he gave her a moment ago was any proof!

Finally, Beth interrupted their banter, "Okay, enough talking guys, I have another place that I can stay at."

Four voices chorused, "You do?"

Grinning, Beth replied, "Yes, my father's place. It's still in my name from the inheritance."

"You're - rich?" Mikey's eyes widened and a smile spread across his snout.

"Well, I don't know if I'm rich, but - Father made sure I wouldn't have need for anything."

Raph asked, one eye ridge quirked, "So, why were ya stayin' in that dump of an apartment, then?"

Beth shrugged and answered, "My way of disappearing, I guess. I haven't been to the old house since right after the trial five years ago. I was afraid if I stayed, housekeeping would get concerned with my behavior and then call in the authorities." She sighed, "I'd lose everything, then."

"Servants? You had servants?" Don was incredulous.

"Well," Beth replied, "not servants, just the doorman and those responsible for keeping the penthouse clean." She sighed and smiled, "My dad owned a high-rise apartment building on Park Avenue, just down the street from his law firm."

"How will you explain your absence, though?" Don inquired as he leaned against his staff.

"I don't have to, Don. Why should I have to explain myself if the property and all that I inherited is justly mine?" Beth replied firmly, "I get mail pertaining to my investments; I just chose not to spend much of it. Either way, I need to go back to my apartment to get my keys, identification, and other things." She looked at Leo, "Is…that possible?"

"Well, I don't know, depends on what's going on over there. The fight drew attention from your neighbors and it's likely that at least one of them called the police already. I'll send Raph on ahead to scout the area for Foot and to see if any authorities showed up. Mike and Don, too, just to be careful." He took Beth's hand, "You and I will remain a safe distance away until they give the signal that all is clear."

"What if the police are already there, though?" Beth asked worriedly, "Where I'm gone, they'll probably have an APB out on me, have my apartment cordoned off like I was kidnapped."

Leo thought a moment and then brightened, "Well, then you're going to have to approach them, I think, tell them your home was invaded and some 'good citizen' came to your rescue and fought off your attackers."

Mike added, "And then helped you to escape. You can tell them that…"

Don interrupted, "Then, when you saw the police arrive, that was when you knew it was safe to return. You can tell them you were afraid, given your personal history and all. I doubt any officer will hold you accountable considering that!"

"I guess I could do that," Beth replied, sighing, "But, I sure hope I don't have another episode."

"You won't," Leo assured her, "After what you just went through with the Foot and now facing Casey again after all these years - and forgiving him," he smiled, "your recovering better than you think you are."

"And you're sure of this?" Beth smiled.

"Absolutely, no doubt about it."


	44. Home Again

_**Disclaimer - **Only own Beth. Everyone else is subject to someone else. _

_I finally had a bit of inspiration. Not much of a chapter, sort of a segue to a better one, hopefully. Not much concerning the TMNT's either, but it is part of the package. Have to follow through with the turn of events in as natural a way as I can write it. The next one ought to be a little more interesting, but I wanted to set in motion what Beth might do next. What that is will be as much a mystery to me as it might be to you. :0) _

_Either way, I appreciate your patience with how long I've taken to update. If you find any discrepancies, don't be shy in telling me about it. After all, it has been a while since I last added to this story. Would have helped if I had kept a log of all pertinent facts, yes? LOL _

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 44 -** **Home Again**

As expected, by the time her friends had brought her back to her neighborhood, the police were already at Beth's apartment. With a two cruisers parked haphazardly in front of her building along Greenwich, their lights of blue, red, and yellow flashed like beacons against the dark of night, throwing an undulating brilliance of color against the line of aged brownstone apartments. They illuminated the area with an attention-getting display, announcing to the locals that something important had happened there. Moreover, the familiar yellow police tape marked off the steps leading up to Beth's building and, in response, a sizeable crowd had gathered around the make shift barrier.

However, some of those in the crowd began wandering away from Beth's apartment. Gradually, more and more people began returning to whatever activity they were doing before the police arrived. It seemed that most of the investigation had already taken place, with only a pair of officers remaining at the scene to provide an authoritative presence. What people remained obviously didn't have anything better to do for the present time than to watch and wonder what had happened.

As she watched p from where she waited, "What am I to do, now?" Beth asked. Currently, she and her four friends were across the street, hiding in the shadow-rich area of the rooftop, as they observed the scene across the street below. They were deep in shadow, too, and virtually invisible to anyone who might look their way.

"What we suggested you do," Leo offered her a smile, "We take you up the street and get you to ground. Then, you just walk to your apartment, introduce yourself to one of the officers, and let them know what building you live in. That will get his attention and when he realizes you're the missing tenant, then you tell him what we suggested, that a stranger helped you get away, but he didn't give you his name."

"But, Leo, will they believe me?"

Mike chortled, "Hey, if you tell 'em your hero wore a hockey mask and carried a baseball bat, they might. And then you _can't_ tell 'em what he looked like."

"What?" The girl stared at the mutant in orange, quite confused.

Giving his younger brother a firm rap along his head, Raph laughed softly, as he looked over at Beth, "Casey's trademark equipment, back when me and him kept the streets safe, before his - incar'sration."

"Oh." Beth looked thoughtfully at the turtle and realized she had just learned something new about her old assailant. She even _harrumphed_ in surprise.

"Well, time's a wastin'," Raphael exclaimed, turning heel as he made for the back part of the roof. As he made his way across the other buildings and headed for the far end of the block, Don, Mike, and Leo, with Beth holding onto her friend's hand, followed likewise.

A while later, the four brothers watched from across the street, huddling along the same rooftop they had been on only moments earlier. Once again, keeping their profiles low and within the shadows there, they crept as close as they could to the edge of the building. From their vantage point, they observed Beth's approach far below. They watched as she worked her way up the street towards the crowd, hesitating now and then, as her old 'demons' seemed to overwhelm her. There was a moment as she wormed her way through the throng of people when all four brothers thought for sure she would turn tail and book it out of there. However, Beth seemed to take a deep breath and persevere. When she came to a point where she could address the police officers, the turtles began to relax a little more.

"She's come a long way, to do _that_!" Don smiled appreciatively, keeping his voice low.

Leo clapped his hand along his brother's arm, "Yes, I think she'll recover, Donnie. It may be slow, but I believe in her."

In any event, their keen hearing allowed them to listen in, as she told the officer her name, why she had disappeared, and then she asked if things were safe again.

Of course, the policeman wanted identification from her. As Leo had instructed, Beth told him that she didn't have time to grab her license before her rescuer took her to safety. So the officer motioned to his co-worker and, after the two men engaged in a brief discussion, the second officer immediately slipped into one of the cruisers to make a call on his two-way. Leo could hear the man call in for the investigative unit. The turtle in blue turned slightly to his brothers as he explained, "He's getting the CSI guys back on the scene again."

"You think they have her apartment still cordoned off?" Mike asked, easing closer to the edge, yet staying within the protective shroud of the shadows.

Don replied, "That would be protocol until they can figure out what happened, until their investigation is over with, so - that's a 'yes', Mikey."

"Ya think she's gonna be safe, though," Raph queried, "I mean, we can always include her place in our patrols, but...now that th'Foot knows her affli'ation with us an' all." The turtle growled, "Still, if they bother Beth again..." and Raphael cracked his knuckles in anticipation of knocking a few Foot heads together.

Leo sighed, "We take this one day at a time, guys. We wait to see what the police are going to do first."

"Jus' don't want anythin' more t'happen t'the girl." Raph couldn't help but allow concern to his edge words.

Leo smiled and nodded in silent agreement, then continued to watch Beth talk with the police.

Beth was frustrated. She thought for sure the police would at least escort her to her apartment. But, it seemed that until the detective and CSI arrive, she couldn't. So, she resigned herself to sitting on the steps of her building's front entry and wait. Unfortunately, the policeman chose to stand to one side of her, apparently guarding her, with his hand at the ready on the heel of his gun. Although his close proximity to Beth made her feel nervous and wish she was back with Leo, again, the man didn't pay her any mind, but kept watch over the crowd.

And it seemed that the crowd waited more expectantly, now, too. Beth wondered, then, if maybe she should be concerned, that maybe there were more of the Foot lurking about and the authorities were currently looking for them. She really didn't know what had happened after Casey and her friends took her to safety. Did some of the Foot get away? Were they waiting for her return? Maybe they were aware of her friends?

Suddenly, an all too familiar feeling began to overtake her. Quickly, Beth employed what Splinter had taught her and, so, she pushed it away. She recognized it as only a thought and so she ignored it, focusing her mind on her friends who, by now, were probably watching from the rooftop across the street. She realized that if there were any danger, the policeman would have taken her to safety. Of course, the fact that Beth's friends would be fully aware of any threat and would make sure it didn't reach her, gave the girl confidence, too.

While she sat there, Beth managed to glance occasionally towards the apartments across the street. She would allow her eyes to drift upwards, doing so as if stargazing. She didn't want to draw attention from the police to what she was looking at, yet she hoped to see her friends, too. She wanted some reassurance that they were there and still watching over her, especially Leo. She didn't seem them of course, at least not right away. Since the buildings across the street were taller than her row of apartments, the rooftops rested above the streetlamps, affording deeper shadows. It finally occurred to her how effective they were to use for hiding.

Then, a subtle glint of metal, like a beacon, blinked through the darkness, but only for a second. It was quick and went undetected by everyone, everyone except for one expectant girl.

Beth smiled a little, "Leo's sword?" she wondered hopefully. It had to be, she reasoned, and it comforted her to know that they were there, still watching over her. She gave a subtle nod, very discrete, but enough to acknowledge the signal. She half-expected one more, to affirm her, but when none came, she understood. It was enough that Leo had risked the first one.

After a while, two unmarked cars arrived and parallel parked along the curb. A detective, wearing a suite and tie, climbed out of the first car, while flack-jacketed CSI personnel quickly exited the other. As they made their way towards Beth and the officer protecting her, she stood up.

"Are you the tenant from Apartment 5B?" the detective asked.

"Yes, but I told the officer that my identification is upstairs."

The man smiled and motioned towards the complex with a hand, "Well, let's get this party going, then."

Beth led the way up the front steps to her apartment building, with the officer, the detective, and the two CSI officials following from behind. A few minutes later, Beth and the others stepped onto the fourth floor landing and it was there that Mrs. Edwards greeted her full on from the opened doorway of her apartment.

"My dear," the old woman rushed the girl and grabbed her hands, ignoring the disapproving glare from the policeman. With her eyes brimming with tears, "I was so worried for you, not knowing if they had killed you."

"I am fine, really." Beth tried to take her hand back, but the elderly woman's grip was quite persistent.

"I didn't see who took you. Was it that man who grabbed my umbrella? It all happened so fast," Mrs. Andrews chuckled some as she hurried on, "I couldn't even give the nice policeman a very good description, other than what that man was wearing." Then the old woman's face grew more serious, "But when I saw all those men in black pajamas, when that man told me to stay inside, I didn't care at that point. I couldn't close my door and lock it fast enough! That was when I called the police!" She beamed hugely, quite proud of her bravery to do such a thing.

Surprisingly, Beth could feel Mrs. Andrew's hand begin to tremble a little. The memory of the event was obviously all too traumatizing for the elderly woman. For a moment, Beth felt sorry for the old woman, understanding all too well the kind of fear she probably experienced.

With a wavering voice, her neighbor continued, "When...I thought the fight was over, I - I tried to open my door, but it wouldn't at first; it seemed - stuck! When I finally got it opened, everyone was gone but for a few of those strange men." Her eyes grew large then, "They were knocked out and lying all over the foyer here!" She waved her hand around to indicate the area just in front of Beth's doorway. "Did you know them?" the woman asked.

"No, I - I don't think so..." Beth looked up into the officer's face, "and that other man just sort of appeared, I don't know who he was. However, I have seen the other men before, at least someone like them. It was a few days earlier. A couple of them were under arrest at Seventh and Greenwich. I was on my way to the store and saw that the police had already put one of the men in a squad car. Maybe they're part of a gang?" Beth was doing her best to remain calm, trying to keep from spacing out and, surprisingly, she seemed to be doing rather well.

"Ma'am, I can't say anything about that, but maybe the detective can." The officer then looked to the man in the suit.

The detective smiled and then shrugged a little, "Right now, we're trying to get things straightened out, but…" and here the suited man smiled, "you'll be glad to know, we're very close to shutting that particular gang down - hopefully permanently. If not for those who tried to rob you, we would still be working to that end. But, let's go to your apartment, first; I'll explain more."

Yet it seemed that Mrs. Edwards wasn't quite finished. "My dear!" the woman interrupted, still holding onto Beth's hands, "if you're too frightened to stay by yourself tonight," Beth could feel the tremor again in the woman's grasp and it worsened just a little, "you are more than welcomed to use my spare bedroom. I won't mind at all and I would love the company."

"I...um…well, I - ah - have to think about it." Beth replied, managing to slip her hand from the woman's loosening grip. She smiled, now, and began to see that her neighbor was just someone who was lonely and as scared as she was. For the first time since living there, she began to understand Mrs. Edwards. Beth then turned to follow the officer and detective as the headed down the hallway towards her apartment. Before she could go into her rental though, the CSI personnel had to remove the yellow tape from around her opened front door.

Persistently, Mrs. Edwards called out again, a little louder this time, her desperate pleading causing Beth to slow her walk, "I prayed for your safety, my dear, and I'm so glad that you're all right. Still, I would imagine that you would not _want_ to be alone right now."

Beth did feel a little hesitancy about that. The thought of being alone, now, after having lived the past couple of days with her strange new friends, didn't seem so inviting. So, she managed a polite reply, turning to address the woman, "Thank you, Mrs. Edwards, but let me finish with the detectives, first, before deciding."

Mrs. Edwards smiled hugely, obviously quite pleased, "At least come in for some tea. I have cake, too, if you would like…and…and we can have it on china!"

There was something regarding the woman's sincere invitation that tugged at Beth's heart. It was a need the woman had for company, something that Beth had rediscovered herself. She glanced back and saw the widest, expectant smile on her neighbor's face, so Beth couldn't help, but smile in return. Then the officer said, "This way, miss," and so she continued into her apartment.

As Beth looked over the mess in her living room, with her overturned table and the sofa askew from its original position, the detective placed himself in front of Beth's television, and faced the girl. With his feet splayed apart just a little, and with pen and notepad in hand, "I'm going to need some identification first."

"Right," Beth looked around and noticed her cloak still lying on the floor near where the sofa had been. Picking it up, "It's here in my coat," she explained, rifling through one of the pockets. As soon as she found her wallet, Beth handed it over to the detective. "I didn't catch your name, sir."

The detective motioned for her to sit and so Beth complied, taking a seat on her sofa. She watched in silence as the man studied her license and then began writing in his notepad. He hesitated a bit as he read her stats and looked up at the girl for a moment. Then, he sighed and continued to scribble again. From time to time, he would quirk his brow, as if something interested him. He glanced at her once more before answering her question, "I'm Detective Horowitz." He nodded towards the two CSI's, and then continued to scratch in his pad, "and they're Johnson and Philips."

The two investigators nodded Beth's way, balling up the yellow tape as they pulled the rest of it off the doorframe.

As Detective Horowitz handed Beth's wallet back to her, "Now, you mentioned that you didn't know or recognize the person who helped you, right?"

Beth held onto her billfold and swallowed a little, trying not to appear nervous, "N…no, I - ah - I don't know who he was. Never saw him before."

"What did he look like, then?"

The girl gulped again, praying she would do well with this next part, "Actually, I only saw the back of his head and only for a second before he slipped a mask over his face. He - seemed to have an umbrella that he used, too, swinging it around like a - a baseball bat." She paused when the detective's eyebrows rose just a little, "Um, is something wrong, Detective?"

Chuckling a little, the man replied, "No, but - well - never mind, continue, please. What did he do next?"

"Well, after he took care of the men who attacked me, he led me up to the roof where we traveled across the row of buildings. That was when we found a fire escape and climbed down into the alley."

"So your rescuer was responsible for neutralizing the scene before you left?"

Beth screwed her face up, clueless to Horowitz's meaning.

Rewording his question, "Did he fight with the men in the black PJ's? We found several unconscious in the hallway and in your apartment when we arrived."

"Oh, I see, I - I really don't know how much he did, because I was busy fighting off the ones inside my apartment, too. I thought maybe he had help, but I guess he worked alone. That's what he told me, anyway."

The detective smiled, "Did he give you his name?"

"No, he didn't, he didn't want any kind of publicity. He just felt it was the right thing to do, to help me and all." Beth watched as the detective wrote down what she was telling him.

Nevertheless, the girl began feeling the all too familiar niggling at the back of her mind, the feeling that told her if she didn't change the way things were going - and soon, she would go catatonic. The police would then have no other choice but ambulance her to the nearest hospital. From there, Beth knew that the doctors would keep her under close watch. For how long would be anyone's guess, and that was her greatest concern.

"What kind of mask did he wear?" The detective asked, interrupting her present mood. With his pen poised, Horowitz waited to take down Beth's next comment.

"Mask?"

"Yes, you said he wore a mask, can you give me a description of it?"

"Oh," Beth hesitated a bit, uncertain, wondering if she was doing the right thing. Casey might have been responsible for attacking her and for her current mental state, but he seemed so contrite earlier, when he confessed to her friends what he had done. The fact that he was willing to accept their judgment, even if it meant his death by their hands, had greatly impressed her. Maybe he was being truthful, in that he wasn't in his right mind at the time that he had assaulted her. Certainly, the man five years ago wasn't the same man she saw just a while ago.

So, with her resolve strengthening to do what she had to, Beth continued, her voice stronger than it had been in a long while, "He wore a hockey mask - the whole time - and…" Beth then thought about what Mike said was Casey's weapon of choice, but realized that wasn't what Casey had used, "...and like I said, he had an umbrella that he used to defend himself with. He swung it around…like a bat"

"A...hockey mask?" The detective glanced out Beth's doorway, "but Mrs. Edwards said he was Caucasian, with short- dark brown hair, and wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans - and he sounded like he was from Brooklyn."

"Yeah," Beth drew the detective's attention back to her, "he did sound like he was from there and he was wearing the t-shirt and jeans, but I didn't see his face, because of his hockey mask. And..." she looked away, as if thinking back to that moment, "he might have had dark brown hair, but the mask was all I saw. Kind of odd, really, why would someone wear a hockey mask out in public?"

"Yeah, why indeed." Horowitz remarked quietly, but then found his voice again, "I wonder why Mrs. Edwards didn't tell us about that?"

Beth quickly added, "I don't know, maybe he put it on after she went back inside her apartment. But when I saw him, he was wearing a mask."

"Hmm… We'll have to question your neighbor again. Still," Horowitz then mumbled, "it's been years since we've run across the Vigilante's work." He then addressed the officer standing near the doorway, "Seems our 'friend' is back, Pete."

The uniformed officer rolled is eyes and muttered, "Great, that's all we need now is handling _his_ leftovers."

"Well, he won't have much to do, not since we've virtually shut down his reason for working the streets like he did."

"Vigilante?" Beth quirked her head curiously.

"Yes, it's this guy that helped us a few years ago, although we wouldn't condone how he did it. He had a taste for beating up punks. Haven't seen him for a while, though." Horowitz then wrote some more in his notepad.

"He worked for you?" Beth was somewhat stunned, now, wondering why Raphael hadn't said anything about Casey working for the police. Maybe Casey had been an undercover cop gone wrong? She didn't remember anything said about _that_ during her trial.

"No, no not exactly, but - well - it's a rather complicated situation and I'm _really_ not authorized to say anything, but if the Vigilante protected you, Miss Shapiro, you're in good hands, not that I would encourage him to do what he does, at least not with how he operates. Through the years, though, he did help to reduce the crime rate here in this area of New York, but it's been a while since we last heard from him. We know he had some help, too. I mean, this is a big city. Regardless, though, The Vigilante - and his friends, whoever they are - left behind punks who were willing to sell their homies out."

Remembering what was said earlier, "And you've stopped this gang?" Beth asked.

"Well, a couple of them we closed down, those who worked together. The Dragons and an Asian gang called The Foot. They've plagued our city for a decade, maybe even longer, but we're close to neutralizing them for good." He grew more serious then, "But, I'm certain the lesser gangs will just step in and take their place. Until that happens, though, for now, we'll get a break."

Beth closed her eyes and sighed. The news did more for her than ease her mind; it almost made her giddy with joy. With what little she knew about how the Foot affected her new friends, to learn that this gang would no longer be a threat to them was good news indeed.

She couldn't wait to tell Leonardo.

Still, she wanted to be sure, she had to know. "So, you've captured the gang members, the ones in the black pajamas?"

"Mostly, but I think we've pretty much dismantled their influence, where they've gone back to Japan. At least, we hope they did. Their hideouts and their main headquarters are vacant. We have a list of locations where they've set up camp, so other than apprehending a few of the stragglers, their 'clan', as they call it, gave up, and headed for 'greener' pastures. I pity the city they adopt, too. I can only hope they did go back to their Japan."

"So, I don't have to worry about some of them coming back and hurting me?"

"Nope, but we'll provide a police presence here, to be safe. Only for a few days. You might want to take advantage of Mrs. Edwards' hospitality, too. She seems 'motherly', to me." Horowitz smiled, "and I think you might need some of that right now, Miss Shapiro." His face softened, "By the way, I - knew your father. So sorry about his passing but - I remember your trial. Are you doing all right?"

Beth's throat constricted as she realized the man standing in front of her was more than just a detective. He seemed to know of her father and, apparently, knew about her, too, even though Beth didn't recognize him. She softly replied, "Yes, I'm much better, actually. It was - hard, of course, but I've come to accept some things and have learned a great deal about - others." Then, she asked, "I don't - remember you, though. How do you know my father?"

The man chuckled, "Ah, well, five years ago, I was just getting promoted and thought about going into law. Your father took me under his wing and nudged me into detective work, though. He said I had a mind for details, but I would hate being a lawyer. And, no offense, Miss Shapiro, but he was right. I've only been at this gig for about three years, now, and I love it." Then, Horowitz looked around, "You've been living here by yourself all this time? Didn't your father have a place up on Fifth Ave?"

Although surprised by the man's intimate knowledge of such matters, "Yes," Beth squared her shoulders, "but I just wanted to - blend in and try to recover anonymously. I had to - get away from the stress of his firm, to 'think' about things."

"And now?"

"Well," she shrugged and smiled thinly, her voice soft and uncertain, "I - I...um…don't know." Beth studied her hands clasped in her lap.

"Your father always told me how brilliant you were regarding law and how proud he was with how well you were doing at Utica." He smiled and chuckled lightly, "In fact, there were times I think he was trying to get me interested in you." Horowitz shrugged, as if to disarm his comment.

Beth looked up suddenly, surprised, yet she saw a very considerate man, maybe a few years older than she, but nice looking just the same…and very honest. That startled her, in fact, that she would even pause to notice him in that way.

The detective continued, though, unaware of how he was affecting her, his voice more compassionate sounding, "You were home for the summer, correct, when…well…when you were attacked?"

Beth nodded solemnly, trying to ignore the sincerity in the man's question and her growing interest in him. After all, didn't she love another? "Yes, that's correct, working for my dad in his office. I had taken a walk through Central Park. It was a stupid thing to do, I guess." She smiled and shrugged - and gave a quick glance in his direction. Their eyes met for a brief second and then she dropped her gaze once more, before blushing.

"No, not stupid, Elizabeth, maybe naïve, but - not your fault, okay?" Now the detective crouched down to be at eye-level with the girl. His movement caused her to look up at him and, once more, he held her gaze as he said, "That creep should'a gotten life." Horowitz paused, before adding, "You do know that he's out, right?".

"Yes, I - ah - I do. I received a notice in the mail about it."

Horowitz scrutinized Beth and then stood again, his previous professional demeanor returning, once more, "Mr. Jones…hasn't found you, has he?"

"NO, no not at all, he'd better not!" In that moment, though, Beth was almost afraid that she had given it away; that she had indeed met with Casey and she knew how the courts were about offenders visiting their victims. It would be prison once more for the man and considering how sincerely sorry he was for harming her, Beth just couldn't do that to him.

"Good, because he's on probation and if he did try to see you, then we'd have to apprehend him."

"If I see him, I'll - I'll call you, right way."

"Yes, do that, please," the man then reached into his breast pocket and retrieved a small two-by-three card, "Here's my office number, call me if he does bother you, because regardless of his rehabilitation, you shouldn't trust him - not at all."

"I'll remember that, hard not to, all things considered." She laughed a little, to dispel her anxiety.

"Well," Horowitz pocketed his small notebook and pen, "In any case, you might think about going back to college. If you're anything like what your father told me, you could be an asset to the judicial system. Anyway, I believe we're done here. Again, I would take advantage of Mrs. Edwards' offer." The detective smiled, "She seems like a very concerned neighbor. As you know, they're hard to find in this city."

After the detective and the others left her apartment, Beth closed her front door and locked it. Yet, she remained there and leaned against it for the longest time, her back hard against the wood. With her arms wrapped protectively around her, she sighed. It was finally over. Although she knew she still had a ways to go, Beth finally felt some self-control with her problem. Maybe she would have found it on her own eventually, but she couldn't deny that the intervention from her new friends had helped. She breathed a soft 'thank you' to the strange rat and his faithful sons, especially to Leonardo.

And, although she would probably never be comfortable in Casey's presence, the fact that Raphael would vouch for his friend's character spoke volumes, too. She knew that drugs could change someone, twisting their personality and character to monstrous proportions. Maybe losing this April O'Neil had indeed affected Casey as severely as he claimed it did.

Still, it was obvious by Detective Horowitz's admittance that this Vigilante had helped with dismantling the ninja Foot clan. More to the point, if the Vigilante and Casey were the same man, then that would mean that Mr. Jones - on some level - was more of a hero than a rapist.

It was an interesting speculation and, for the first time in five years, Beth realized that her demon was finally dead, at least the demon that Casey had become. Maybe then, so would be her affliction and then, quite possibly, she could get back to living a normal life once again.

As she considered the detective's advice, Beth suddenly wondered if Mrs. Andrews enjoyed drinking green tea. With that thought in mind, the girl hurried into her kitchen to see if she had some, her heart lighter than it had been in a very long time.


	45. A Clear Perception

_**DISCLAIMER** - Well, it's about time, yes? Sorry for taking so long with updating this fic. I hope you'll forgive me, but the muses were just too focused on other projects. That and the FanFiction Comp. I promise to get to my other stories, too, but I needed to give this one some attention, otherwise it was going to fade away and never return. _

_With that said, this is still an on-going story, despite rumors to the contrary. However, it will soon be ending. I know that one particular reader might not like how this chapter concludes, but - hope springs eternal with the next one…at least for her. _

_Once again, I don't own anyone, other than Beth, Mrs. Andrews, and Detective Horowitz. And my deepest thanks to **Swallowraven** for beta-reading this chapter. Thanks, my friend! You did an awesome job:0) _

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 45 - A Clear Perception **

Although Beth had to force herself out the front door, with her old demons once again trying to gain a foothold in keeping her from doing so, she finally made it over to Mrs. Andrews' apartment.

And she was glad she had accepted her neighbor's invitation, too.

Surprisingly, Beth found the woman to be anything but nosey or rude, and the girl repeatedly had to refuse Mrs. Andrews' considerate offer to stay the night. However, she did enjoy a couple of hours of visiting with the woman, sipping hot tea and eating freshly baked coffeecake, all the while listening to her neighbor's account of her very long life.

Part way through their visit, though, Beth discovered that Mrs. Andrews was more than just elderly. To Beth, she was ancient.

"…and at eighty-nine years of age, it seems I have some rights that you younger people haven't yet earned," said the energetic woman at the end another of her lengthy stories, "such as talking your ear off!" Mrs. Andrews suddenly laughed, then kindly apologized, "I'm so sorry, Beth, if I've bored you with stories about my poor dead husband and kids." Her expression sobered, though, as she sighed, "Still, parents should never outlive their children."

Beth agreed and then asked, "Don't you have any family left?"

"Nope, I'm it, the last of the dinosaurs, so to speak," the woman maintained her smile, although less generously than before. She studied the young woman sitting across from her and leaned back against her chair rest. She asked, her voice soft and caring, "So, what about you, Beth, do you have family?"

The question caught the girl off guard. Other than recently, not one person had ever asked her that before; not even the grocer Sean McHenry. Still, Beth had to steady herself before answering, taking a breath for stability, "Well, my mom… died when I was about eight and my dad passed away four years ago. I might have an aunt from my mother's side living somewhere in Oregon," she brightened a little, but then shrugged it off, "I only heard mention of her once or twice. I've never met her. I guess I'm like you in some ways; that is, I'm 'it' as far as family goes."

The two continued to drink their tea, as an interval of peace spilled over them. Then, Mrs. Andrews broke the silence, "Well, we seem to be two of a kind and from two different generations. Maybe we can be family for each other…" she averted her gaze shyly to stare into her cup, "if you need a friend, that is." The elderly woman glanced up at the girl again, hopeful, smiling, "I'd love to have a partner in crime."

"In crime?" Beth furrowed her brow in confusion; maybe there was more to her neighbor than tea and cake?

"Yes, crime, as in taking the city by storm," the woman's grin widened, "such as visiting museums and going to the theater. Basically, making nuisances of ourselves." Mrs. Andrews chuckled brightly, "We can make it a monthly activity, or weekly, if you prefer. My husband saved quite a bit and left it all to me when he died, so you won't have to worry about expenses or any such nonsense like that; it would be my pleasure. Besides, I need a companion," she chuckled again, "It's not too wise for a woman my age to do the town like that, you know. It's why I spend so much time here in my apartment." A twinkle came to her eye, then, "Now that I have a friend, however…" Mrs. Andrews gestured towards Beth, "I don't have that excuse to stay home anymore. After all, it's always more fun to go to town with a buddy."

Beth laughed and shook her head. Never did she ever think that she would be carrying on such a conversation with anyone again, especially with Mrs. Andrews. It had been far too long since Beth had had any kind of female friendship. Yet, after getting to know her strange friends, the turtles, and now, sitting here and talking with 'Ellie' - for the woman insisted that Beth call her by her given name, it had ignited a hunger for such things.

"Yes, I…I think I would like that very much, once things settle down," Beth replied shyly, "once I decide on what to do with my life. I've even thought about going back to…"

Ellie, however, interrupted her, a raised finger indicating her need to speak, an impish expression on her face, "You might begin by considering that nice young detective, Beth. I can tell he has an eye for you."

"Detective Horowitz, really?"

"Yes, that's the one; I can tell he was rather taken with you!"

"And why would you say that; he was all professional when he spoke to you a while ago and he certainly remained that way during my questioning." Beth hadn't yet shared with Ellie about the more intimate talk the detective had had with her, how he had admitted knowing her father. That he said her father had tried to get him interested in her so many years before had greatly surprised Beth. Why would he even say that, unless…Horowitz had been interested in the first place? Maybe he still was?

Nevertheless, Beth wasn't too sure she would be open to such things, at least not now, not when Leonardo seemed so - perfect, regardless if he was a mutant turtle. She blushed a little just thinking about the way he had kissed her, too, back when they were in the warehouse district with Casey. Of course, it wasn't with the same passion as with the first one, when he was still suffering with amnesia, but - still - it had given Beth hope that maybe he was falling in love with her all over again. Now, to consider another suitor, a human suitor no less? It all seemed too much to handle.

"Yes, he was very professional," Ellie admitted, "on that I will agree, but after he was done with you, he was whistling a tune when he went down those stairs. A man doesn't whistle after visiting with a nice young woman such as yourself, at least not unless he's interested in her. Mark my words, dear, I know what I know." Ellie winked mischievously, but before Beth could say anything in her defense, her neighbor reached over for the teapot, "More tea, Beth?"

xxxxxxxxxxx

"So, what now?"

"Raph, what do you mean, 'what now'?" Leo looked at his brother, each keeping pace with the other, as they raced across a series of rooftops.

Leaping over the short wall separating each apartment, they had been on patrol for the past couple of hours, with Beth's complex not more than a half mile behind them. Exasperated, Raph explained, "What if the Foot come back an' bother her; ya know they know that Beth knows us now."

Don chuckled from behind as he kept up, rather amused with his brother's redundant use of words, but Leo ignored him as he replied, "I don't know…"

Raphael stopped, then, with Mikey nearly running into him, "Hey, put your hand up if you're gonna stop, will ya," Mike complained as he quickly dodged around his brother and also came to a stop.

"Can it, Mike, ya got brakes, don'cha?"

"Yeah, but just look at the tread marks, sheesh!"

"Anyway, Leo," Raph countered, "We can't assume because we made an impress'n on 'em, that the Foot'll just go away - _poof_ - like that!" He shook his head, "We can't have what happened to April happen to Beth."

Leo glared at his brother and balled his fists, "Tell me something I don't know, okay?" He then glanced back the way they had come, back where Beth's apartment was. He shrugged, "I just don't know what to do about it."

"Hey, let's keep her!" Mike brightened, "Let's take her back to the lair. She'll be safe there, ya know."

"Mike, that isn't do-able, we can't do that to her."

"Why not, Donnie, April stayed with us."

Donatello rolled his eyes, "Mike, come on, April only stayed for a few hours, and then we took her home."

"Yeah, I know, but - maybe Beth can stay longer. We can train her until she learns enough…"

"Mike," Leo interrupted, "we taught April, too, remember? We taught her a lot and she still ended up dead." He shook his head then, "No, I don't think it would be fair to keep Beth underground like that. I believe it would be better if Beth moved into her other place right away." He turned and took a step in the direction towards her apartment, "You guys go on ahead, okay? I'm going to go back and have a talk with her. I'll meet up with you at Seventh and Bleecker."

Raphael regarded his brother with narrowed eyes, "Ya betteh not break'er heart, bro."

Without replying, Leo took off across the rooftop, heading back to Beth's apartment. He knew that he couldn't promise Raphael that he wouldn't break her heart, yet there was something about the situation that nagged at him. He tried to ignore it, to push it to the back of his mind, for he really didn't want to consider it. To Leonardo, there was only one thing that was important, and that was he had to make sure that Beth would remain safe.

xxxxxxxxx

After returning from visiting Ellie and as she was straightening up her disarrayed apartment, Beth's mind was whirling with many conflicting thoughts. She had to admit that the past couple of days were the strangest she had ever experienced. Between meeting the turtles - and Leo in particular - to finding counsel in the rat, Splinter, then getting herself lost in the sewers, it all added up to a very surreal adventure.

However, she wondered if she was on the mend from her malady. With all she had gone through, between encountering the Foot both in the sewers and when Leo and his brothers brought her home, those experiences should have caused her to go catatonic. Surprisingly, she didn't, and it made her wonder about it.

Still, Beth knew that she wasn't completely well, not yet, anyway, not when she discovered how Leo and his brothers would get her back to her apartment. It didn't surprise her in the least when she passed out.

Nevertheless, as Beth righted her toppled coffee table and thought about the past couple of days, despite her relapses, she had to believe that maybe she was finally gaining some self-control over her problem. Of course, it helped in knowing that her attacker, Casey Jones, wasn't anything like the monster he was five years ago. It was that alone which seemed to encourage her to forgive him, to let go, and move on.

And that one act of forgiveness seemed to be another turning point for the girl.

It helped that she found a friend in her assumed-to-be nosey neighbor, too. Getting to know Mrs. Andrews was almost like a happy conclusion to a very strange couple of days. In fact, just thinking about Ellie made Beth smile. She had a friend, a human friend! It had been so very long since Beth could really say that about anyone, except for maybe Leonardo and his family.

Just the same, Beth had to wonder about Ellie's insightfulness regarding Detective Horowitz. Coupled with her other experiences, the feelings it brought Beth seemed to be quite overwhelming for her. To add another human to her very small list of acquaintances would be challenging enough, but to add a more amorous relationship from one…Beth wasn't too sure about that yet.

"So many emotions to manage," she mused, inspecting her living room and smiling, satisfied she had things put back in their proper place. "But, Splinter was right. Facing my fears seems to be helping. Letting it have control over me certainly wasn't."

Whether or not she was ready for healing before she had met the turtles, or if their mentor and surrogate father, Splinter, was indeed her starting point, none of it mattered right now to Beth. It was important that she felt more confident in the past couple of days than she had over the past five years. It was a good feeling, too. She smiled to herself and wondered if she could indeed get her life back again.

Suddenly, the thought of returning to college came to mind again. Learning that Ellie had taught school had ignited in Beth a desire to continue her own education. Mentally, she began to make a list of the classes she had already taken, before her attack. As she did, she smiled as she remembered her time at Utica, the professors who taught her, and how promising they said she was. They had known of her father, too, and her future seemed so bright, then.

However, breaking into her reflection, a gentle sharp rap from her kitchen window caused her to jump, forcing her to take in a startled breath.

She turned abruptly and felt the familiar prickling sensation of a catatonic episode. Her heart raced like an out of control horse as she began to perspire. Yet, before her panic attack could gain purchase, Beth followed Splinter's teaching. After several measured breaths, she focused passed her panic, realizing that, without a fire escape, there would be only four beings capable of accessing her apartment through her kitchen window. Once she had reasoned away any unnecessary fear and replaced it with logic, after a moment the girl effectively quieted her attack. She smiled and, then, as a second rap sounded from the window, she knew who was on the other side.

Glancing up at the clock on her wall, Beth noted the time and smiled again. Only ten minutes had lapsed since she had checked it last, when she began cleaning her living room. It was only a casual action, maybe one borne of experience, knowing that touching objects related to physical assaults were triggers for her episodes. Yet, the fact that she hadn't zoned out helped Beth believe that maybe she was truly on the mend.

Happily, Beth walked around the divider and into her kitchen. Once she confirmed her suspicions by peaking around the shade, she opened the window.

"Leo!" she declared happily, stepping back to allow room for her friend to slip through the window.

"Shhh…" he admonished, whispering, "There's a squad car making its way up the alley; I think the police are patrolling this area since your attack."

"Yes, Detective Horowitz said he would provide a police presence for me over the next couple of days."

"Detective Horowitz? Oh, the official in the suit, the one who talked with you outside. He did?" Leo furrowed his brow in question, closing the window before facing his friend again.

"Yes, when he interviewed me earlier." Beth recalled more of what the detective had told her. "Oh, and they've shut the Foot down, or at least most of it."

"Really?" Leo smiled a little as he gently took Beth by her arm, leading her into the living room.

As the two sat down on her couch and before Leonardo could question her further, Beth glanced back towards the kitchen window. "Where are your brothers? Aren't they coming?"

"They're patrolling the area. I took a break to check on you, to make sure you're all right, but what about the Foot?"

"Well, the ones left behind in the hallway here, as well as the two that I saw a few days ago, apparently gave the police enough information to break up the Foot. They also closed down another gang as well, some group they called the Purple Dragons."

Leo sat there on Beth's couch and stared at her, surprised. At first, he appeared confused, as if he was having difficulty accepting her news. He regarded the kitchen window, as if half-expecting one of his brothers to join him, before turning back to look at Beth again. "You…sure he said that?"

"Leo, how can I misinterpret what he said when he said it as clearly as I'm telling you. Isn't that great, news, though? That means…"

"No more war, it's…over?" Leo mumbled softly. He stood up and walked around the coffee table, to stand in front of the television. With his shell facing Beth, he seemed transfixed with staring at the screen, head slightly bowed, as if in thought. He wrapped one arm in front of him, supporting the opposing elbow of his other arm, chin buried into the palm of his hand.

"What's wrong, Leo? I thought the detective's news would make you happy."

"It did. I mean, it does, but…"

"But what?"

Leonardo sighed and turned around, his arms now at his side. When he faced Beth again, she could see that he appeared confused. With how his shoulders slumped and with his less than confident expression gracing his face, he almost looked lost. Then, when he finally spoke, Beth quickly understood.

"Beth, what are we to do, now? I mean…" Leo waved his arms around in frustration as he began to pace, his swords bobbing in rhythm, "all of our life my brothers and I have done nothing but train, learning how to fight, to kill if need be, to rescue people. I know it's good for you that the Foot are no longer a threat and for that, I'm relieved. However, fighting our enemy is all we've ever known; it is all we know how to do. Well…that's not entirely true. Donnie knows how to fix and invent things and Raph's a pretty good mechanic, and Mikey can cook, but…but, me?" He seemed almost out of breath as he looked over at his friend, his eyes searching hers, wide and uncertain, "All I know how to do is fight…and…and meditate." He blew out a long frustrated sigh. "I'm useless unless I have a battle to face."

"You're not useless, Leo, you're a faithful son to your father, a protective sibling to your brothers, a…a friend to _me_…" Beth smiled and shrugged, "and friends are important, Leo; you taught me that, your whole family taught me that. Because of you, I've found a way to face my fears and I've found a friend in Ellie. You can still protect people from criminals. I don't think the Foot were the only ones committing crimes, so I don't think crime is going to go away. Trust me, Leo," Beth chuckled, "there will still be bad guys for you to fight."

Leonardo stopped his pacing and sighed, "Yeah, I know, Beth, but…and I'm not saying I enjoyed fighting the Foot, but - when it's all I've ever known…"

"Well, I guess we both have something in common, then."

He quirked his head, "And what's that?"

"We have to learn how to do new things. For the past five years, all I've known is isolation - and blanking out," she chuckled, "But, after meeting you and your family, after making friends with Ellie…"

"Ellie? That's the second time you've mentioned the name. Who is Ellie?"

Beth brightened and her smile widening as she spoke, "Mrs. Andrews, her first name is Ellie, and we've become friends. In fact, I just spent a couple of hours with her today after the police left. She made tea and cake, and we talked, and I learned that she's a widow with no kids, and very lonely," Beth sobered a little, a caring tone to her voice, "And she needs a friend, like me. She's very nice, too, Leo, I like her." Beth sighed contentedly, "Ellie wants to take me to see museums and go to the theater with her and make complete nuisances of ourselves." Beth shook her head and smiled broadly, her eyes sparkling with a lust for life that surprised the mutant turtle. "Leo, it's been so long since I've done any of that, and she's not the nosey person I thought she was because, like I said, I think Ellie was just lonely and that's why she would always spy on me whenever I would leave my apartment."

"I…see…" Leo felt a subtle prick of…something. Was it disappointment, jealousy? He wondered about that. Still, noticing the joy on his friend's face made him happy for her. He smiled back at Beth, although it wasn't as magnanimous as he would have liked. He continued listening to her account regarding her visit with the elderly woman. As Beth continued talking about her friend, Leo noted Ellie's age, that she had taught school for several years before deciding on a career as a mother, and he saddened slightly when Beth told him how she had lost her children years earlier.

However, as Beth went on telling him more about her neighbor's personal biography, a sudden realization, as sharp as one of his own katana, struck Leonardo with a resolute truth. It was a truth that he could not deny, one that he could not ignore…and it cut straight through his heart the more he realized it. The next comment Beth made only confirmed what he was slowly coming to realize.

"…and, after talking with Ellie and after she told me how important college is, I've decided that I'm going to go back to Utica. I may have to do some extra work to reacquaint myself with some of the subjects I took before…um, before I stopped going; after all, it's been five years since the last time I was in class and all…" However, before she could continue, Beth noticed a change in Leo's expression. She paused with her rapid account of her plans and asked, "What's wrong, Leo, aren't you feeling well?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing, nothing's wrong, Beth, I'm fine, really, " he tried to reassure her, but Leonardo's somewhat distant expression betrayed his true mood, "Well, everything's right as far as what direction you're taking and all, but well…to be honest…"

"Yes?"

"Um, to be honest I…ah…"

Although painful, the truth was, Leonardo couldn't be involved with Beth anymore, no matter how much he loved her or she him, or what they were willing to sacrifice to be together. Beth was a creature of light in the busy world of humans, while he was a creature of darkness, hiding in the sewers. Although nature would have had him living outdoors, nevertheless, Splinter had trained him and his brothers to be one with the shadows, to battle and defeat evil and outside the confines of the very law that Beth wanted to represent. To expect Beth to live with him in the sewers and give up all that she was destined to be would be like asking him to give up his swords, his ninjitsu. It was the only life he had ever known. Therefore, Leo just couldn't expect Beth to sacrifice as much in return.

Moreover, so long as there were punks and crime to fight, Leonardo would always have a purpose, a job to do. Beth was correct; the Foot clan was only a bit player in a never-ending game with the turtles, a game where they protected the lives and safety of the innocent. Evil would always be there. Beth could never be a part of that kind of life and for Leo to ask her to, would be a selfish expectation on his part.

"Leonardo, what's wrong?"

Beth's repeated question interrupted the ninja's thoughts and, so, resolutely, the turtle in blue stood a little taller and squared his shoulders. He regarded the girl once more and offered her a small smile, a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless.

When heh spoke, his voice now took on a more neutral unemotional tone, "I am very happy for you Beth, and I think you are right. My job is only half done here in New York." He became more serious, now, "The Foot have kept my family far too busy worrying about their next plan of attack to attend to other matters. Now that the police have taken care of them, I think my brothers and I need to focus on other crime syndications." He laughed, "You would not believe how many there are, Beth, too many, actually." He swallowed, then, licking his lips and considered leaving right then, giving the living room one final glance.

However, before he could turn to leave and not at all convinced that Leo was telling her the truth for his sudden change in behavior, Beth persisted, "Leo, please tell me what's wrong?"

His attention drawn back to his friend, he shrugged, "There's nothing wrong, Beth, how can there be? You have your apartment in one piece again and the Foot won't be bothering you anymore, because the police have taken care of them." He chuckled, putting as much warmth into his expression as he could, "and you've found a friend with Mrs. Andrews…um…Ellie. I think you two are definitely going to make nuisances of yourselves on Broadway, that's for sure!" He bowed a little, then "I and my brothers will keep a watch over your place for a while, as I said, that is until we're certain you won't have any repeat 'visitors', but…" Leo looked back towards the window again, "I've already spent too much time checking in on you, and my brothers have a knack for getting into trouble, especially Mikey!" He smiled and bowed a second time, "It was a pleasure knowing you, Beth," and then Leonardo began making his way towards the kitchen.

"Wait!" Beth shot up from the couch and quickly frantically catching up with him, grabbing his arm, "Leo, what's wrong, you're sounding as if you're never coming back. You have to come back…"

The turtle in blue swallowed, trying not to betray how he truly felt, but he shook his head, and softly told her, "I'm can't come back…I can't, Beth." He paused, noticing the sincere disappointment in his friend's face, the tears now filling her eyes. He turned towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "You have too much to live for here, above ground, to much to give to the world, than to spend the rest of your days with…with someone like _me_, living underground with a bunch of mutants. I can't take you to museums or theaters, not unless we break in, and I won't risk that with you. My brothers and I are ninja, Beth. Our father has trained us to fight, to live in shadow; it's who we are…it's all we've ever known, Beth. Your life, here, among your kind, is all YOU'VE ever known."

"But, Leo!" There was no mistaking the panic in Beth's voice; she was desperate, terrified, that Leonardo was serious, that he would leave and never come back.

"No, I've made my mind up, it's for the best," he said stubbornly, and then cupped her face with one hand, softening his words a little. "You'll do all right, Beth, Ellie will make sure of it. I'm sure Detective Horowitz will see to it that you continue to be safe, too. That's what police do."

"That's what you can do, too, Leo…" Beth challenged, but she suddenly found it impossible to talk, as her throat began to close up. A deep build up of emotion now caused her to tremble in panic, afraid that she would never see Leonardo again. She suddenly exclaimed, punctuating each word determinedly, "I don't want you to leave, Leo."

"I have to, Beth, I'm sorry." he matched her intensity, his voice firm and resolute, "I can't have what…what you want me to have; it wouldn't be fair to you."

"Why not? It would be my choice!" Her angry tone surprised her…and Leo, too, by his stricken expression, but Beth couldn't help it. Leo was deciding for the both of them how things were going to be. He wasn't even allowing her to make that decision on her own and it made her mad.

"And a poor choice at that, I'm afraid!" He then steeled himself determinedly, "I know what I'm doing; having human friends is dangerous - for us **and** for them…for you."

"But the Foot are gone, Leo, they're no longer a threat to us or to me!" Beth had all she could do to keep from shouting, to keep from crying.

"Yes," Leonardo agreed resolutely, his voice hushed, to imply they should quiet their discord, "but be assured that, once we focus on other crime syndications, we will make new enemies, and when they find out that we have friends," ever so slightly, his voice raised in volume, "you won't ever be safe." Leo easily shrugged his arm out of the girl's tightening grasp, "I'm sorry, but it has to be this way," and he continued towards the kitchen window.

Dumbstruck with grief, Beth could only stand there in shocked surprise. She couldn't help the tears now cascading down her cheeks as she watched Leonardo quietly opened the window.

Before he could slip outside and forever disappear, however, Beth suddenly exclaimed, "But, Leo, I need you, because…" and as the warrior in blue turned slightly to look at her one last time, his eyes narrowed in determination, Beth declared, "because - I love you!"

Leo nodded once as he replied, "I know and…and that is why I have to leave."

And then he was gone.

With her throat constricting, disabling any further arguments, and as tears streaked her face, Beth watched helplessly as Leonardo disappeared into the night, the sounds of New York filtering through the opened window, effectively drowning her cries of despair.


	46. A Brother's Quarrel

_**Disclaimer - **Well, I totally forgot to upload this and it's been - about two weeks since I last said I would. My apologies. Also, this is where the story splits in direction, as far as how it's going to end. For those needing a happily ever after between Leo and Beth, head on over to Stealthy Stories and check out my account there. Under Butterfly you'll find your chapter. To everyone else, keep reading right here on Fan Fiction. In either event, I own only the story, Beth, Mrs. Andrews, Det. Horowitz, and any left over tea and coffee cake. _

_My thanks and appreciation to all who have stuck with me this far and for all who were kind enough to leave a review._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 46 - Quarrel**

"I tell ya, bro, it's just not right."

"Mike, leave it alone, I know what I'm doing."

"If Raph finds out you've broken her heart…"

"It couldn't be helped and if he does find out it's only because _you_ told him." Leo had all he could do to keep from punching Mike in the mouth. It wasn't as if he wanted to hurt Beth. No, it pained Leo something awful that he had, but - there really wasn't any other way around it. Allowing anyone from his family to befriend her would put Beth in danger. Causing her pain because of this was an unfortunate casualty, but it was far better that than the alternative. "And if you do say anything..."

Mike heard the warning tone in Leo's voice, and so he sighed and shook head. When his oldest brother was this obstinate, there was no reasoning with him. Leo's comment said all that needed saying. Mike had better keep his mouth shut.

Then, the orange-banded turtle tried once more, but from a different angle, "Your reason for canceling her training before even the first lesson won't go over very well, you do know that? He's going to ask more questions and he's not stupid."

"He won't, Mike, and even if he does, Splinter will agree with me. Raph will concede."

Michelangelo chuckled ruefully, "Yeah, and how many times has Raph gone ahead with whatever plans he had in mind? Once he talks with Beth about the matter, you're toast and you know it. He warned you."

Leo shrugged in response, "Doesn't matter, Mikey; it's for the best, we're dangerous to her, she's dangerous to us, it's a simple matter of survival." He suddenly stopped his progress through the darkened sewer tunnel and looked around, hushing his voice, "Quiet."

"What?"

Leo firmly wrapped a hand around his brother's snout, before taking advantage of the immediate peace, focusing on whatever it was that he had heard. Then, still whispering, "Didn't you say Raph would meet us at the lair?"

Before Mike could answer, though, an all too familiar baritone voice broke through the lightless passageway, "I did, but I changed m'mind!"

Berating himself for not paying attention to his surroundings, Leonardo realized that he truly had to get Beth out of his mind - and heart. Just thinking about her caused his insides to go all jelly like. As Leonardo released Michelangelo, it became profoundly obvious to him that Beth was already too much of a distraction. Of course, the fact that Raph concealed his presence as well as he did just a moment ago only proved that point, too

Sounding strangely disembodied within the lightless passageway, Raph addressed his older brother, "What's best and fer whom, and why's 'she' dangerous t'us? Are you talkin' about Beth?"

With his mouth now free of Leo's hand, Mike gave a small knowing chuckle, "Heh, looks like you _can_ add two and two, bro!"

"Mike, I said I'll **handle** this."

"Handle **what**, Leo?" Raph growled, for the moment ignoring Michelangelo's sarcasm.

Squaring his shoulders, Leonardo accepted the challenge, "That I've decided Beth doesn't need any training. It seems the police have effectively shut the Foot down. She's safe."

"Right, and I'm going to sprout fairy wings. Give me a break, Leo, the Foot won't go away…" Raph remarked, snapping his fingers, "just like that."

"Yeah, Leo," Don agreed, adding his thoughts to the matter as he also made his presence known, "the Foot won't easily be intimidated to get out of town."

"The Foot soldiers we left behind at Beth's apartment when we rescued her," Leo explained, "were apprehended by the police. There were a couple more arrested a few days earlier and both groups have apparently sold themselves out, they basically helped the police shut the Foot down."

Raph twirled a sai and quickly pocketed his weapon, smirking, "Must have been newbies, then,"

"Or desperate to jump ship…" Mike added wryly.

"They might be more desperate than green, since new recruits don't have the intel on the exact whereabouts of each stronghold," Don countered.

"And where the authorities have them running," Leo added, "I'm certain they're heading out of town."

The four brothers stood quietly for a moment, allowing the news to sink in. It almost seemed too incredible that their enemy, the feud they had carried for their father these many years, was no longer a problem. However, Raphael remembered what he had initially overheard when he had first come upon his two quarreling brothers.

"So, why is Beth dangerous t'us?"

Leo didn't answer immediately, not at first, but when Raphael restated his query, "Hey, I asked ya a question, Leo."

"Actually, Raph, we're more dangerous to Beth," Leonardo finally replied.

"And why's that?"

"Because…well, because you know as well as I do that even with the Foot out of the way, the small crime syndications they've kept under their control will move in to take over their territory. Our fight against evil won't end, it'll just change zip codes and once these organizations find out about us and if they connect us to Beth, she'll still be in danger."

"So, we'll just protect her, then." Raph shrugged.

"Like we did with April?" Don sighed, now understanding Leonardo's point. It was disappointing, too, because hearing about the Foot's demise, Don had enjoyed a brief moment imagining a life far from the one they had been leading all these years. Yet, he had to admit that Leonardo was correct; crime would always keep them busy, whether because of the Foot or someone else. Their bushido code would expect nothing less than keep the general population safe.

A suffocating silence fell over the quartet, then, the truth of Don's words sharp and penetrating. It wasn't lost on any of them that they had failed their friend - and, if any of them had been honest about it, they had failed Casey, too.

"So, what now? We just go and ignore her?" Raph didn't like that prospect at all, not when he considered how Beth felt about his brother and what it might do to her if they abandoned her.

"I…I don't know, Raph. I don't want to do that, but I don't want to put her in danger, either. What happened earlier in her apartment…could become a regular ordeal for her. I just couldn't do that…"

Suddenly, Leo felt a displacement of air as Raph rushed towards him. He reacted, with fists up and ready to exchange blows. Yet, before his brother careened into him, the turtle in red stopped instead, now nose to nose with Leonardo.

"I don't want'er in danger, eitha, Leo," he growled, "but we can't ignore her, not with'er problem. What about havin' her live with us, until she knows how t'defend 'erself?"

Leo's reply was instant.

"No."

"Why NOT?" Raph took a step back and glared at his brother, even though his threatening expression went unnoticed within the black void of the darkened tunnel.

"Because she needs the light, Raph. She's making friends with her neighbor, Mrs. Andrews. They seem to be forming a friendship, talking about going to the theater, and just - _living_. I saw a light in Beth's eyes tonight that I haven't seen before…well, not since we met. It was like she finally found someone to connect with, someone like her…" Leo's voice then softened, "…someone _unlike_ us."

"Unlike _us_? You mean, not a _mutant_? Is that what this is all about, the fact that we're not normal, not human? Are ya afraid she might reject us, reject you?" It was then when Raphael believed he had figured it all out, "That's it isn't it? You don't want t'be rejected, so you just decide fer the rest of us t'leave her first! Yer nothin' but a coward, Leo!"

"I am **not** a coward, Raphael." Leo could barely contain the snarl from his lips, "I'm just afraid she might end up like April for knowing us and, because we're mutants, we'd be a problem for her, whether she would admit it or not. April had to make too many changes in her social life because of us. She couldn't have friends, not without taking the risk of accidentally revealing our existence. The way April had to do it, Beth would have to live like a hermit and not be as involved with people as she would normally." Leo gulped back his anger - and his grief, taking a breath before continuing, "As I said, what I saw in her expression a while ago was someone who suddenly found out that they had a life to live. To ask Beth to stay underground in the lair with us would be cruel."

"How SO?"

"Because, Raphael," Don interrupted, "Beth would be as much a prisoner in our world as we would be in hers."

In frustration, Raph swiftly removed one of his sai from its sheath and began twirling it. He growled low, allowing his disappointment to build upon itself, before finally releasing his fury. In a flash, he lobbed his weapon deep into the wall of the tunnel, the resonating _ching_ of metal against concrete echoing through the sewers.

Flinching, Mike backed away, as Raph raged, the turtle in red throwing his arms up for emphasis, "GAH, I hate my life; why d'we even bother?" Then, with a few quick steps, he reclaimed his sai from the tunnel wall, and, with a small flourish, returned it to its rightful place along his side.

"I'm sure Splinter will be pleased as punch about yer decision, Leo," Raphael sneered, turning away, "but I fer one am not and I'm not going to just ignore her, either."

Instantly, Raphael felt a hand on his arm and, before he could react, he found himself spinning around to face its owner, "**You** are going to leave her alone and that is an order." Leonardo demanded, "No one is allowed to visit her. Period!"

"And who's gonna make me, Leo? You?"

"If I have to."

"Well, ya had better start now, cuz I'm goin' up t'see yer, to tell'er what you decided."

"She already knows."

Raph shrugged from his brother's grasp and grabbed Leo by the throat, growling, "You TOLD her we ain't coming back?"

Wresting himself free of his brother's murderous hand, Leonardo stepped back, "How else should I have done it, Raphael?"

"I can't believe you told her that, after all she's been through, knowing how she feels about you…" The turtle in red hissed low and would have charged his brother right then, but he held himself in check. He shook his head, "And I thought you had more honor than that."

"Don't . speak . to me . about HONOR! It is **honor** that's…that's…"

Suddenly, it all fell apart, his resolve, his self-control. Leonardo found his voice inaudible, muted, choked back, as if something thick and strangling had wrapped its way around his vocal chords. Immediately, in response, he felt an overwhelming burden rise from the very depths of his being. As it towered over him, the sheer weight of his anxiety attack seemed enough to bury him. It took him by such surprise, the lack of control, that Leonardo was unprepared for the personal internal assault. Quickly, as his eyes filled, he turned away, grateful for the suffocating darkness to hide his true feelings. He swallowed hard and inhaled deeply to quell the surge of emotions. Yet, he found it did little good. Consequently, a single, choking sob escaped his lips.

Realizing something wasn't right, "Hey, Leo, what's up?" Mike walked over and laid a concerned hand on his brother's shell, as Don did the same on the other side.

In reflex, Leo stepped away, refusing the comfort from his siblings, but in so doing, he let loose another cry.

Mike hesitated to react, more surprised by his brother's exclamation that shocked. However, when he realized the truth of the matter, he grabbed Leo in a half hug, "Hey, it's gonna be all right, Leo. You're only thinking about Beth's safety."

"I…I wish I didn't have to, Mikey," Leo moaned, "I wish…I wish it didn't have to be this way." Leo paused for a moment, collecting himself, and then straightened, gently shrugging from his brother's embrace. He turned, then, to face the others, his confidence returning once more, "But, regardless of how I feel about her or how she feels about me, or any of us for that matter, this is the way it has to end. I don't like it, guys, but I don't like how we have to live, either."

Throughout Leo's momentary breakdown, Raphael stood stoic and motionless, perplexed by his brother's unusual transparency. It wasn't like Leonardo to show any weakness, that much Raphael knew and had accepted. Yet, Raphael couldn't help admitting that he was the same way, too. Given their precarious living conditions with the constant threat of extinction, feigning strength was a necessity for survival. If any of them became the weaker link, it only weakened the family as a whole.

Just the same, after developing a thirst for friendship because of April, and then with Casey, it was a foregone conclusion that what Raphael and his family needed most, were friends. Beth had begun to fill the void that April had left behind, too, and, in so doing, offered another opportunity for one of them to find companionship. But, to what end would they go to in order to acquire it and how much would they be willing to sacrifice to have it? In the end, it only proved to Raphael that there was sometimes too high a price to pay to have what they desired most.

After a long moment, he remarked, his voice no longer grating or angry, "Guess yer right, Leo. I…I don't want anyone else to suffer the way April did, either. I don't know how Beth will handle it, but - you did say she had a friend, right?"

"Yeah, Mrs. Andrews. Heh, who would'a thought. Seems she was just a lonely old lady," Leo smiled a little, relieved that his brother was accepting his decision, just as he knew he would.

"Lonely, eh?" Raph sighed, "Well, sounds like they're two peas in a pod." He moved towards his brother and placed a friendlier hand on his shoulder, "At least, maybe we can keep an eye on her, just to make sure she's safe?"

"So long as we don't make contact, yeah, I think we can do that."

"Heh, I'd like to see how long _you_ can last without contacting her, bro, not with how you felt about her."

"I don't remember any of it, actually," Leo remarked nonchalantly.

"Oh, yeah, sure…and I bet you think I didn't see you two kiss a while ago?"

"You saw us?"

"Hey," Mike jumped in, "must have been a juicy one, bro. She looked ready to swoon!"

"I did NOT kiss her like that!" Leo protested.

"Yeah, sure," Don chided, joining in as he chuckled a little, "With the way your lips pressed together…"

"You were _**watching**, too_?"

"Just about invited us to, out there in th'open. Never think you can do somethin' and not have us notice, bro," Raph laughed, "not when ya got a girl t'worry about! Anyway, we betteh get back to th'lair, 'fore Splinter comes lookin' fer us!"

As his brothers turned towards home, Leo stood there, fully insulted, hands on hips. It didn't help matters, either, when they began chuckling at his expense.

"You spied on me!" he protested indignantly.

"Hey, get a clue, Leo…we're ninja!" Raph laughed, as Mike and Don joined in, "Plus, it's not like you tried to hide it, out there for all t'see."

"Yeah, right, I should have been more careful I guess..." Then, as Leo caught up with his brothers, "So, now that we don't have to worry about the Foot anymore…"

"Let's make certain of that." Don advised, "I don't trust the police to eradicate a problem entirely. The Foot could be laying low until the authorities lose interest."

"Yeah, you might be right, but - still…" Leo shrugged, "If they did chase them out of town, there's a gang over on 25th street that's been getting a little cocky. Wanna pay them a visit tomorrow night?"

"Bustin' heads?" Raph asked, grinning wide, as he and his brothers moved into a more lit area of the sewer system.

Finding themselves bathed in the subdued lighting of the sewers once again, "Is there any other way, o'brother of mine?" Leo grinned, matching Raphael's, as he wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulders.

"Nope, Leo, I don't suppose there is!" The one in red then laughed, while Leonardo walked alongside, their other two brothers bringing up the rear, "And maybe we could check Beth's area, too, just as a precaution?"

Leo nodded, "Yeah, I think that would be do-able."

"Righteous!"

As the four turtles continued through the tunnel in silence, each one seemed deep in thought. Suddenly, a voice, deep and overly theatrical, broke through the stillness…

"And once again the Sentries of the Night, Guardians of the Foolhardy, Protectors of the innocent, plan their next attack against the evils of New York City. We are one…four brothers… braving death, defying odds, the fearless foursome, the…."

'_Thwak'_

"Ow, Raph, what was that for?" Mike complained, holding his head, now sore from his brother's slap. As he sidestepped out of the way of Raphael's reach, he heard his brother's reply.

"For being you, dimwit."


	47. And It Begins

_**Disclaimer - **Finally, this is it, the beginning of the end, the final draft, update, and chapter. This is the epilogue, but in truth, it is only the prologue of a life worth living. May each of you find within, a spark of hope, that no matter the trials, no matter the struggles, that it's all worth while. You never know who will be waiting just around the corner, if you only have enough faith that it will happen, and courage to take steps in that direction. _

_I own only Beth, the story, and any possible future sequels. No, I'm not saying I'm going to write a sequel, but - there is an open-ended conclusion that leaves room for it. Oh, and no turtle was damaged in the writing - I SWEAR! _

_Of course, whatever damage Raph does to Don is entirely his doing and not mine. _

_And I give full credit to Splinter for the phrase - "A slow ninja is a dead ninja." _

_Enough said. _

_Oh, and thanks to everyone who stuck with me throughout this long journey titled, Butterfly. Without your encouragement (and nagging me about when the next update will happen) I wouldn't have made it this far. Thanks so very much! _

_Be blessed. _

**_(For those who are more into a happily-ever-after-with-Leo ending to Butterfly, go to my Stealthy Stories account for that version of chapte 47. However, on that site Butterfly is NOT finished. I still have one more chapter to write - possibly two.) _**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 47 - And It Begins **

"Well, it's about time, m'lady; the show's not gonna wait for us, you know." Stan huffed, and then smiled as his date came out of the apartment.

"We got to talking, okay? And it hasn't been that long and you know it. We have plenty of time." Beth gave him a playful grin and then sidled up next to him to wait. As he wrapped an arm around Beth's shoulders, she explained, "Ellie's trying to find her opera glasses."

"Oh, of course," Stan rolled his eyes, "Can't forget those." He suddenly chuckled, "You know, if it weren't for you two, I would never consider going to the theater…not ever…just not my…"

"Yes, I know, Stan," Beth remarked, turning her face to him, "it's not your 'cup o' tea'. But, you have to admit, you always have a good time."

"Only because of you," he smiled, giving her nose a peck. Beth blushed in response and ducked her head, giggling.

"My, my, just look at the two lovebirds."

The couple turned, wincing in embarrassment, as Ellie emerged from her apartment, smiling at them. With a sweater hanging over her arm, she gave a light laugh at their obvious discomfort.

Stan challenged good-naturedly, "And what's so funny about that, _Mrs_. Andrews?" as he took the woman's wrap.

Closing the door behind her and locking it, Ellie shrugged, as she allowed Stan to help her with the sweater, "Nothing, I think it's sweet…and I keep telling you to call me _Ellie_…" she said forcibly and then winked at the man. As she tucked her opera glasses into her purse, "…but maybe I ought to stay home, so that the two of you can have a nice, romantic evening together."

"Nope, not on your life, Mrs. Andrews," Stan declared, offering an arm to the elderly woman. She eagerly took it, as Beth slipped her arm around Stan's other one, "You keep us honest," the man continued brightly, "But, maybe to save time, we ought to keep your spy glasses in my car, that way…"

"It's ELLie," Ellie interrupted sternly, "and I've never had to question the way you treat Beth. Besides, keeping my _opera_ glasses in your car would risk having someone from your office finding out that our big, tough Detective Horowitz is cultured. That wouldn't do, now would it, Detective?" Ellie smiled smugly, as she squeezed her escort's arm.

"No, I guess not, _Mrs_. Andrews."

"It's ELLIE! My goodness, you'd think as smart as you are…"

Stan chuckled as he led both Beth and their friend down the steps, his pace slow and careful, so as not to rush the older woman. All the way, Ellie admonished him for ignoring her requests how best to address her. After a few minutes with working their way down the four flights of stairs, they finally reached the first floor hallway. Ellie then paused for a moment to catch her breath.

Stan sighed and shook a finger at her, "You know, Mrs. Andrews, you're one very stubborn lady. How many times must we insist that you move in with Beth? An elevator would be far easier than having to tackle _Mt._ _Everest_ every time you want to go out."

Ellie glared at her male escort for moment and then reached up to pat Stan's cheeks, suddenly smiling, "I like my independence. Besides, I've been doing these stairs for far longer than you've been alive, and it beats having to join a gym to keep in shape." She gave a hearty laugh as the man rolled his eyes. "And _please_ call me Ellie! You keep adding years to this old woman's bones each time you address me as '_Mrs. Andrews'_."

Stan quirked a brow and smiled, "I'll consider correcting that if you'll consider moving in with Beth."

The woman's face narrowed suspiciously, her brow crinkling. As she studied the young man beside her, a slow smile began to spread across her face. She then murmured, "Hmm…smart AND manipulative. No wonder you're in law enforcement." Ellie finally huffed, "I'll give your offer some consideration, but you know I don't like the busy affair of downtown."

"Living in the penthouse will put you steps away from the theater district, it's be worth the hassle…" Beth challenged, meeting her friend's curious expression, "...and you won't have to pay for a thing, and the museum district is not too far, either. You can go every weekend, or even every day, if you want."

"Money isn't a problem, you know that, and…" she shrugged, "it might become status quo and that might take all the fun from going out." Ellie then smiled, "Of course, they always need docents; so maybe I can volunteer. It would be a good way to share my knowledge from my eighty-odd years of life…it would be nice to find something useful to do, too, other than playing the part of chaperon."

"We don't need a chaperon, Mrs. Andrews…" Stan saw the look of consternation on Ellie's face, "…and you haven't agreed to our offer, yet, so until you do, I'll continue addressing you - _as -_ Mrs. Andrews."

"Upstart!" she hissed, "Fine, then," she straightened her five-foot frame as much as she could and sniffed, "maybe I _will_ take up your offer, then when you call me Mrs. Andrews, I can bop you one on the head!"

"Only if you can reach it, Ellie," the detective chuckled, and grinned as he saw a grin of approval on the woman's face, "Now, I think we better make haste; the show won't wait for us, you know."

As the threesome stepped outside the complex and made their way slowly down the front steps of the brownstone apartment, Beth thought about the past year and marveled over how much her life had changed. As she held onto Stan's arm and reveled in the late summer weather, she recalled another arm she had leaned upon, one belonging to a mutant turtle named Leonardo.

The brief friendship she enjoyed with him and his family had altered her life in more ways that she could ever imagine. And it saddened her that she hadn't seen any of them since that fateful night, when Leo said goodbye, and for a moment, Beth's mood saddened. She wondered how they were doing, if they were still protecting the general populace of New York City. Even though their greatest enemy was now a history lesson rather than a present concern, Beth knew there was still an element of evil residing in New York City. She was certain her friends would have more than enough to do.

Just the same, Detective Horowitz had been correct. The Foot did indeed vacate the Big Apple for better 'hunting' grounds. There had been rumors that they had moved northwest to Chicago, with another rumor saying they had gone south to the warmer climate of Ft Lauderdale. Fortunately, with warnings from New York's police and with the FBI's help, as well as information provided by disposed members of the clan, whatever faction had tried to gain a foothold, was overwhelmed quickly enough. After that, the crime syndicate seemed to have disappeared all together, more than likely returning to their island home of Japan.

At least, Beth certainly hoped so.

Still, she wished she could call her friends, to find out how they were. Beth clearly remembered the phone they kept in their lair. Sadly, at the time she didn't think to get their number. It was quite frustrating to realize how easy it would be to have acquired it then, but not more so than having to keep secret their existence. It was hard not to tell someone, where they were such fantastic beings, and she was certain people would accept them, if given a reason to. Yet, Beth never did tell anyone, not Ellie or Stan, not even the local grocer. The only time she came close was that first night after Leo had said his goodbyes.

As she recalled, it was two hours after Leo left. Beth had pretty much cried herself dry. She had considered going to bed, too tired to stay up any longer, hoping that come the morning, she would see some wisdom in her friend's decision. Then, she heard a knock on her front door and cringed, realizing who it could be.

It was her neighbor, Ellie Andrews.

As it turned out, Ellie hadn't been able to sleep, so she decided to clean her kitchen, to get herself tired out. Where one wall was common with a wall in Beth's living room, she had easily heard the girl's crying. Fortunately, her timing with cleaning her kitchen happened shortly after Leonardo left, so she had missed the heated conversation he had with her neighbor. Therefore, Ellie was none the wiser about Beth's strange friend.

In any event, when Beth's crying went on longer than Ellie thought was normal, it didn't take much to get the elderly woman's concern up and brave a midnight visit to Beth's.

And Beth had to admit that it turned out to be a good thing her friend came over, too. Ellie had comforted her and in a way, that only a mother might do. It was like a healing balm for Beth, to have someone care for her like that. After Beth explained as best she could about her loss, without divulging whom Leonardo was, Ellie had imparted a bit of wisdom regarding such matters, "_True love is the willingness to walk away, to put the other person's well-being before your own, even if your heart is feeling differently." _

Yes, Beth had to agree that her heart was indeed feeling differently and for the longest time she wondered if Leo regretted making the decision he did. Yet, over time her anger and disappointment cooled. As the weeks went by, with much encouragement from Ellie, Beth found her balance once again and a purpose to her life.

As she stepped down to ground level, arm in arm with Stan, Beth recalled how Ellie talked her into joining a counseling program for those suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. It was a hard task to do, to sit in a room full of strangers. Considering Beth's own adversion to such gatherings, she mustered through it. It helped that Ellie accompanied her to the first few sessions, yet after a few months and as healing began to take root, Beth finally felt ready to tackle her next goal, to enroll at Ithaca University. Where the school was in upstate New York, it required moving closer to campus and as hard as it was, she managed well enough. And it seemed to give her strength, too. As she settled in and regained a bit of her old confidence, she began her quest to become a lawyer, like her father. Every other weekend, though, she would find herself returning to New York City to see Ellie and to continue with her counseling sessions. Both became a mainstay to her mental and emotional health.

Then, when she returned to New York City for the Christmas break, her life took another turn. After inviting Ellie to a holiday dinner at her father's Park Avenue penthouse, Beth was chagrined to find herself talked into allowing her friend to bring a 'guest'. "_They'll provide my transportation so you don't have to ride the subway to get me,"_ the woman reasoned.

Despite her trepidation and unable to refute such logic, Beth had relented, albeit reluctantly.

As Stan led her and Ellie to the car, Beth mused, _"Trust issues, how many great opportunities did I miss because of them?" _

In any event, as the girl thought back to the moment Ellie and her escort stepped inside the penthouse and announced, "Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah", therein began Detective Horowitz's courtship of Beth Shapiro.

Beth smiled and looked over at her friend and then at the man who was slowly winning her heart. In so many ways, Stan was much like Leonardo. He was honest, fair, chivalrous, and kind. He worked hard and sometimes his job kept him too busy for the type of event they were going to enjoy this evening, but he always made up for those long stretches between dates - like now. Yes, Beth knew that if Leo had been willing, she probably would have had to make similar adjustments, but - at least with Stan - she could have friends such as Ellie. And Ellie had more than certainly proved herself a good friend, too.

Nevertheless, it was slow at first, for Beth to let Stan into her life. She had many issues to resolve. Surprisingly, he understood and it made her heart leap when he told her he would be there for her, no matter how long it took. Overall, his commitment and demeanor reminded her of Leonardo and it was that which made it difficult for Beth to refuse him. With Leo's family apparently out of contact with her, Beth felt the pull to move on with her life - and so she did.

Now, with a year's worth of classes behind her and her counseling sessions easier to bear, Beth was beginning to feel as if she had conquered her old demons. Moreover, her relationship with Stan Horowitz was growing closer with each passing day and it was because him that she switched colleges, enrolling at Columbia University for the coming fall semester. In this way, she could stay in New York City at her penthouse, thereby allowing her relationship with Stan to grow, and to keep in closer contact with her friend, Ellie. Both gave her a sense of family, of belonging, something her strange mutant friends had impressed upon her.

Stepping up to his car, Stan released his two dates to open the passenger doors. When done and with a grand, flourishing sweep of an arm, he announced, "Your royal highnesses, your carriage awaits!" and then gave a formal bow.

"Stan, you're impossible!" Beth gushed.

"Impossibly in love with you, my dearest!" he cooed, smiling up at her.

As Ellie availed herself to the front seat - for Stan always insisted that the woman sit beside him - Beth closed her eyes against a cooling breeze as it blew across her face. She tilted her head back to take it in, sighing. Her life was full, complete, and the past five years seemed so very far away. She glanced upwards at the evening sky and then…instinctively…turned to look towards the building across the street from where she used to live. It wasn't the first time she had done so, as Beth always hoped that she would see something, anything that would tell her Leonardo still watched over her. But, per usual, as she studied the familiar building, she saw the same thing she did with all the other times - nothing…nothing but the inky blackness of shadows and the ghostly outline of the shadow-rich roof.

Yet, just for a moment, Beth found herself transported back to a time more than a year ago, when she and four mutant turtles huddled together, far above the streets, all of them watching her apartment. How fearful she was, then, how insecure, compared to how she felt now. Yes, Beth still had her moments and maybe she always would, but Beth also knew that the man who courted her and her friend who gave her a bit of mothering would be there for her, too.

After assisting Ellie into the car, Stan turned to help Beth.

Beth hesitated, though, her heart hoping, her eyes fixated on the very spot where she had crouched nearly sixteen months earlier. _Maybe this night_, she whispered softly and then, in the next breath, berated herself. What if she did see him; would it matter, would it change the way things were for her now? She was going to college and she had a boyfriend who was gentle and considerate. And she had a friend, maybe even a substitute mother, in Ellie. No, it wouldn't matter; for Beth's life was on track and that was exactly what Leo had wanted for her.

"What's wrong, Beth?" Stan asked, effectively interrupting her private musings.

"Hmm?" she replied vaguely and then she blinked catching herself, "Oh, nothing, I…was just thinking of something." Satisfied that nothing was there, she prepared to drop into the back seat and join Ellie in the car.

Then, just before she looked away, a sudden silvery flash streaked along the familiar roofline. It was quick and bright, yet very brief. Her breath caught in her throat and she waited, watching - hoping. Once again, she thought of her friends and an eerie feeling of deje vu came over her. A memory of a crowded sidewalk, a ribbon of yellow tape, and a handsome detective asking her questions wafted through her mind.

"Beth?" Stan asked worriedly, afraid she had zoned out. Stan knew she had this problem, of going catatonic, but had only seen it happen once. And that one time, almost immediately, Beth had come out of it. Now, though, she seemed transfixed by something. He followed her gaze to the building across the street and then up to the roofline, but saw nothing of concern. He queried as he looked back at Beth, "Is something wrong?" He furrowed his brows and studied the building again and, still seeing nothing, he leaned in to nuzzle at Beth's neck, to distract her, prodding her to answer him, "Hon, what's up?"

"I - I thought I saw a _shooting_ star," Beth lied, biting her lip, still pondering her thoughts, still staring, expectant.

Stan glanced up at the sky, this time, and shook his head, "Here, in the middle of New York City? It's too bright out with all the lights, how can you…"

"It was a very - _bright -_ shooting star!" Beth insisted, offering Stan a determined look and a small, shy smile. Stan knew the look and so he shrugged and decided not to pursue it. Instead, he motioned for her to climb into the vehicle. Again, Beth hesitated, staring at the building, wanting - hoping - to see the flash again.

"Okay, what's going on? Something's wrong, Beth, I know it," Stan was sounding a mite impatient, now, and he straightened his posture, sighing with one hand on hip.

When nothing more came from the roof across the street, Beth sighed with a finality that surprised her. "Stan, there's nothing's wrong," she turned to him and smiled wide, a cry in her throat that went unsung, "everything is…finally right," and then declared with all sincerity, "I _love_ you, Stanley Horowitz," and she kissed him. Like a butterfly struggling to free itself from its cocoon, Beth finally realized that through all her struggles, the five years of hiding, fearing, all of it had brought her here to this moment, to this man, to this life worth living.

As their lips parted, "And I love you, too, Elizabeth," Stan replied, "but we can star gaze after the show is over, okay. You know once they start…"

"Yes, I know; once they start the show, the ushers won't let us in, I know, dear, and you _are_ right, as always." She kissed him quickly before easing down into the car and her seat. After Stan closed the door the passenger door and skipped around the front of the car to the driver's side, Beth offered a silent 'thank you' to the _shooting_ _star_ across the street.

xxxxxxxxxx

As the car pulled away from the curb, four shadows watched its progress from the rooftop across the street. Two huddled closer to the edge, while the remaining two stayed further back, biding their time, quietly discussing their plans for the evening. Yet, despite the four's proximity to the well-lit area below them, the quartet still found themselves within the night's dark embrace, four bandanna tails fluttering in the breeze, unnoticed by the human population.

As the car traveled south down Greenwich and made a hard right onto Seventh Street, only to disappear around the corner, one shadow grumped, "Stupid thing t'do, bro."

"Yeah, yeah, build a bridge and get over it, Raph."

"You said we're not t'contact her," Raphael challenged.

"I didn't, I just - gave a thumbs up, is all."

"It's the same thing…"

"Hey guys, not here, 'kay? So, what's next, Leo?"

"Mikey, why don't you lead tonight?"

"Me?"

"Hey, little brotheh, ya never know when Leo's gonna need replacin' again and I've already done that gig."

"Aw, Raphie, I don't wanna lead, why not let Donnie do it this time, he's the one with all the good ideas!"

"Hey, hey, just shut it, Mike; I have enough to do fixing what you break all the time."

"Aw, Donnie, ya wanna a straw? Suck it up, bro."

"Raph, you're not helping."

"Do I eveh?"

"Fine, have it your way…I'll lead…"

"So, where to, Don-san?" Mikey cheered, relieved over his relief of duty.

Donnie grinned and chuckled evilly, then broke into a run as he raced across the roof.

"Ah, not the junk yard again," Leonardo groaned, turning to race after his purple-masked brother, as his other two brothers followed likewise.

"Should have had Mikey lead, Leo," a distant voice called back, "Remember, a slow ninja is a dead ninja!" Donatello sounded as if he was already half-way up the block.

"_Yer_ gonna be a dead ninja if I get m'hand on ya…" Raph declared, as he, too, picked up speed.

Faintly and even further away, "Gotta catch me first, Raph!"

"You're on, dipwad!" and the chase was on.

xxxxxxxxxx

_The End…_ _Fin…Uiteinde… Finire…_ _Utløpe_…_Final…_ _Sluta_… _Mwisho_… _Musubi _

_(And if that's not enough ways to say it, I'm done, over, kaputz, finished). _

**xxxxxxxxxxxx **

_Now, to explain why I titled this story as 'Butterfly'._ _Here are the poems that inspired it. They are both public domain, author unknowns, which means anyone can use them, abuse them, misuse them. However, I hope I've done enough justice in applying them to this story where they fit. It's up to you to decide how best it applies to my story. _

**The Butterfly **

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. He cut down the branch it was on and brought it home. One day, a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours, as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then, it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no further. So, the man decided to help the butterfly.

He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. However, it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly, because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to support the swollen body, and the body would then contract in time.

Neither happened!

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.

It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand, was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through that tiny opening, were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings. It would then be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Like the butterfly, sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us; we would not be as strong as what we could have been.

We would never fly.

xxxxx

I asked for Strength ...And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.  
I asked for Wisdom ...And God gave me Problems to solve.  
I asked for Prosperity ..And God gave me brain & brawn to work.  
I asked for Courage ...And God gave me Danger to overcome.  
I asked for Love ...And God gave me Troubled people to help.  
I asked for Favors ...And God gave me Opportunities.  
I received nothing I wanted ... I received everything I needed!


End file.
